Mars – the leading pet care business behind brands pets and pet owners love including ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANTECH® – is partnering with Calm, a leading mental health company, to spotlight the wellbeing potential of pets. Together, they are helping people recognize the role everyday interactions with pets play in supporting relaxation, life balance and overall mental wellbeing.
The collaboration launches Calm’s first-ever collection created for pet lovers, inspired by research into human-animal relationships, including findings from an international survey of over 30,000 pet owners across 20 markets, conducted by YouGov.
Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S. and Mental Health Awareness Week in the U.K., the campaign comes at a time when global stress and anxiety are at record levels.1,2 While people often instinctively feel a benefit from spending time with their pet, the research showed that they don’t always realize the multiple ways it may be supporting their wellbeing. It also revealed that pets give people permission to take better care of themselves, helping them feel okay about taking breaks they might otherwise skip and making time for self-care. For instance, almost eight in 10 (78%) people say their pet reminds them to pause and take a break from work, chores or tasks, with 50% saying this happens daily – a gentle reminder to stop, breathe and reset.3
Helen Mills, VP Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Global Petcare at Mars said: “We are excited to be partnering with Calm to make sure pets get the credit they deserve as our secret wellbeing superheroes. There is a mountain of evidence that the bond we share with our pets has a truly transformational impact on our wellbeing. We will be bringing that to life through content informed by what we have heard from thousands of pet owners across the world: that our relationship with our pets plays a unique role in rest, relaxation and overall wellbeing.”
Introducing the Mars x Calm Collection
Available on Calm from May 13, the collection features a suite of free-to-access pet-inspired Sleep Stories, meditations and mindfulness tools designed to remind pet lovers to pause, be present and embrace the simple moments of connection with their pets. Developed with input from researchers and academics studying human-animal interaction, the collection includes:
- Sleep Stories: A series of heartwarming Sleep Stories inspired by the emotional bond between people and their pets, including “Pets and Their People.”
- Guided Meditations: A range of mindful sessions designed to help people pause, recharge and reflect on the gentle ways pets support mental wellness, including “Work Break Buddy with Chibs” and “Rest Like Your Pet with Mel.”
- Breathe Bubbles: A series of breathing exercises to help people pause, reset and take a deep breath amidst their busy lives. These have been designed to seamlessly blend mindfulness with the warmth and comfort of pets.
Greg Justice, Chief Content Officer, Calm said: “Yet another reason to love our pets: the data shows they have a profound impact on mental health. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Mars, the global leader in pet care, to celebrate how pets enhance wellbeing for millions worldwide and to highlight diverse approaches to mental health support. Together, we’re helping more people – and their pets – experience the proven benefits of the human-animal bond through real stories, science-backed tools and supportive content.”
Social search for inspirational pet stories
To celebrate the partnership, Mars and Calm are launching a social search to find touching stories from pet owners of their pets that showcase the power of the human-animal bond. Pet owners have the chance for their pets’ story to become the inspiration for exclusive Calm content later this year*.
As part of this search, Mars and Calm are launching My Pet Guru – an interactive quiz available on Kinship. The tool identifies one of six pet wellbeing superpowers based on responses to five simple questions, designed to help pet owners recognize and celebrate the unique ways their pets support emotional and mental wellbeing.
A long-standing commitment to pets and people
This initiative builds on Mars’ long-standing commitment to advancing pet welfare and exploring the mutual benefits of the pet-owner relationship. Earlier this year, Mars launched the Pets and Wellbeing Study program (PAWS) – the world’s largest research program exploring the impact of cats and dogs on human mental health and wellbeing.
Beyond this partnership, Mars continues to lead initiatives that advance pet health and welfare – from helping to tackle pet homelessness and making the world more pet friendly to pioneering breakthroughs in veterinary care, diagnostics and pet-friendly environments. By championing the human-animal bond through research, innovation and partnerships, Mars is shaping a future where pets and people thrive together.
