Every dog has its day

Pedigree Brasil won Gold this year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026 for its “Caramelo” campaign. The campaign, which won for “Creative Effectiveness,” highlights how a brand can effectively leverage social insight for short- and long-term marketing gains.

It started with Brazil’s most beloved dog – the Caramelo, or “caramel-colored dog.” Despite being considered a “vira-lata,” or mutt, the Caramelo is a cultural icon in Brazil. Yet, these types of dogs are still the most common type in shelters and are 90% less likely to be adopted than a purebred. 

Pedigree saw this problem as an opportunity to not only uplift the Caramelo but to reconcile its own brand positioning. Pedigree had claimed to be a brand for all dogs, yet its name was inherently exclusionary toward mixed-breeds. 

So Pedigree set out to elevate the status of Caramelo. The campaign included a massive genetics study featuring over 300 Caramelos, the establishment of the official Caramelo Kennel Club, and a Caramelo dog show, among other initiatives. The Caramelo has even become the first mutt to be used on Pedigree packaging. In redefining the Caramelo, Pedigree has redefined its own identity, living up to its promise as a brand for all dogs. 

Purpose marketing can be tricky. Without a clear natural fit between brand and purpose and a meaningful impact, these types of ads run the risk of appearing performative. Pedigree’s “Caramelo” campaign is a successful case for addressing a social problem to drive growth. The brand enjoyed massive gains in visibility and engagement from the public as well as sales linked to the campaign. Plus, dog adoption rates went up! 

Strategically, this campaign made sense for Pedigree. More dogs in homes means more occasions to buy dog food. “Caramelo” is expected to continue driving growth for Pedigree in the Brazilian market and is considered scalable globally. There’s no shortage of mutts across the world… Maybe they’ll all soon be getting the “Pedigree” treatment.