"I Stand Behind Beneful" Advertising Campaign Showcases Purina Pride

ST. LOUIS, June 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Purina today launched a new national campaign featuring the men and women who proudly make Beneful® Brand Dog Food, talking about why they feed it to their own dogs.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7544251-purina-pride-ad-campaign/

The commercial, captured at Purina's Atlanta factory, highlights the care and accountability that goes into every bag of Beneful – and dispels misinformation about the quality and safety of one of Purina's best brands in the wake of a baseless class action lawsuit. Purina associates, featured with their beloved pets, talk about their pride and confidence in the product that millions of dogs eat every day across America.

Purina associates share a "not on my watch" sentiment that lives up to Purina's long-standing values and standards:

• "After working here, there's no other food that I would feed my pets," says Tom, an Operations Performance Manager.
• "There are no short cuts. We go above and beyond to make sure you have top-quality dog food. My dogs love it," says Brandon, an Ingredient Unloader.
• "We're not just making it for your pets, we're feeding it to our own pets, and we know it's good," says Cliff, a Materials Accounting Coordinator.

Juli Plassmeyer, Purina's Vice President of Dog Food Marketing, says the "I Stand Behind Beneful" campaign began as an internal rallying cry, but the Purina pride was so compelling that they decided to share it with fellow pet lovers, retailers and critics.

The campaign includes a TV commercial as well as digital and print advertising featuring Atlanta associates and their beloved pets.  The national exposure debuted with a full-page ad in Sunday's The New York Times.

"We know Beneful is a quality, nutritious, safe dog food," Plassmeyer says. "Nobody cares more about pets than Purina, and there's something very powerful when our own people say – 'I make Beneful dog food, I feed Beneful to my pets, and I'm proud to work for Purina.'"

"We're pet owners, too, and we will never compromise the trust consumers place in our products," Plassmeyer adds.

The class action lawsuit, filed in February, included false and unfounded allegations about a popular product that has never been the subject of recall. More than 9.5 million households feed their dogs Beneful each day and in 2014 alone, 1.5 billion Purina Beneful meals were served to 15 million happy, healthy dogs.

About Beneful Brand Dog Food

Manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, Beneful brand dog food offers a full line of wet and dry formulas that offer a perfect balance of taste and nutrition. Introduced in 2001, Beneful is one of the most successful dog food brands in the Company's history. Every bag of Beneful that is sold in the U.S. is manufactured at one of eight Purina-owned factories in the U.S. Learn more of the facts about Beneful at https://www.beneful.com/news/ and hear from associates at https://www.beneful.com/our-people.

About Nestle Purina PetCare

Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.

Please visit the Nestle Purina News Center at http://newscenter.purina.com/for the latest Purina news, press releases, statements, and Purina media contacts. 

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare