Project Intent
As an extension of the website redesign and change in brand direction, the latest leadership at PetSmart wanted a new direction for all of the services photography. The services team favored the associates as a primary asset over the pets and paid close attention that details were accurate per the service rather than letting the photo team take liberties in process or equipment for a better shot. The new direction was to take all the liberties in environment, uniforms, equipment and more to best display the service and the pet. Our Creative Director preferred to avoid faces so that the implication of happy associates is there yet the focus remains on the pet.
Process
I led a team, assembled to tackle the large feat of building clean sets for our ideal services location, booking talent, organizing shot lists to cover the full menu of services plus additional brand shots, as well as keeping in mind the lifestyle environment our services were usually shown in as well as capturing photos on white sweep to cover other marketing tactics that adopted that approach. The shoot was a massive undertaking, taking up 3 sets each day for two weeks straight. We had two sets in lifestyle environments and one shooting white sweep, rotating through the talent. There were more than 10 Designers and Art Directors I oversaw in this shoot, playing a supporting or primary role most days on set.
Result
We succeeded in working with one of the more difficult and specific business departments at PetSmart. We made them happy and senior leadership happy with the new direction. We gathered all the shots needed for the new site plus an excess of new brand images for both services and generic use.
