2026 VCU Sprint Winner
BRIEF
Make people turn to Chewy for all the answers to their pet questions
Chewy is more than just pet food
[ The Ask ]
Chewy asked us to get people to turn to them for all their pet questions while staying true to the brand.
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As a customer, I already knew Chewy was reliable, convenient, and deeply loved.
But why?
At its core, Chewy is generous. From surprise gifts to handwritten notes, they’ve positioned themselves as a partner to pet parents, not just a retailer.
[ Editor's note ]
Chewy offers its customers pet portraits and sends personalized cards and merch.
So if this campaign was going to feel true, it had to carry that same spirit of generosity.
If I wanted to truly give to pet parents, I would need to figure out what they need. So, I started with my own experience.
This one hit close to home
On September 18th, my 11-year-old cat, Reeses, was diagnosed with lymphoma. The vet gave her two weeks to live.
I turned to TikTok and Reddit looking for people who had been through the same thing.
I followed their advice and the two weeks became four.
Then six.
Then eight.
She passed away on Thanksgiving.
But here’s what stuck with me:
When everything felt uncertain, Chewy wasn’t where I went.
[ Editor's note ]
I bought 3 different supplements from Chewy after seeing recommendations on TikTok
Reeses
Teasing out the real gap
[ The Problem ]
When people (me included) think of Chewy for food and toys, not expert advice.
Initially, I thought the gap was access. Maybe people were turning to social media because vet care is expensive.
Then I found this:
Over 60% of pet parents crowdsource information both before and after seeing a vet. Affordability isn't the real issue because even when people have access, they still turn to social media for more answers.
> 60%
When I explored Chewy’s resources myself,
I felt something familiar: emptiness.
Dread even.
I knew the information was reliable. But it didn’t make me feel any better.
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Then it clicked.
It was never just about answers
Asking questions on social media isn’t just functional. It’s emotional.
You can ask anything you want and not only find someone with the same question but find answers without judgement.
Real quotes from social media
The reassurance feels so good that people ask questions they already know the answer to
[ The Insight ]
People aren’t just asking questions,they’re looking for other pet parents.
For reassurance.
For validation.
For someone to say, you’re doing the right thing.
That’s what I needed when Reeses was sick. And that’s what I found on social media.
Finding the way in
Instead of competing with social media, Chewy should lean into what makes social media powerful: reassurance grounded in expertise.
By combining their authority with their natural generosity, Chewy can show up not just with answers, but with empathy.
So we created We’re All Ears
A platform that brings expert advice and emotional support together, showing pet parents that Chewy is there for every tail wag, every late night worry, and every tough moment in between.
A platform that brings expert advice and emotional support together, showing pet parents that Chewy is there for every tail wag, every late night worry, and every tough moment in between.
What I'm taking with me
This one started with a gut check.
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I didn't obsess over how to get this one right; I trusted my own experience instead.
Got honest about what people actually want, and figured out how Chewy could show up in a way that actually matters.