The Dogs In Chewy's Peanut Butter Box Commercial Explained

Talking animals are always going to be an ingredient for success. Pet brand Chewy realized this when it announced in 2022 a new promotional campaign called "Chatty Pets." This would result in a series of commercials featuring animals talking to one another about Chewy products, with arguably the most popular to emerge being the one titled "Giorgio and Ralph," affectionately known as the Chewy peanut butter box commercial. 

The ad sees a small dog, Giorgio, and a big dog, Ralph, looking out a window to see a Chewy package out front. The big dog is excited that the peanut butter box has arrived, while the small dog has to explain that it's actually prescription medication their mom puts peanut butter on so that they'll take their pills. Either way, they're getting peanut butter, which is enough reason to celebrate. 

For anyone wondering what kind of dog is in the Chewy peanut butter box commercial, there's some clarity on one. A press release from Chewy published by Business Wire explains, "Giorgio, a 3-pound Chihuahua with an ego 10 times his size, and Ralph, a 200-pound gregarious fellow, are an unlikely canine duo." Giorgio is clearly a Chihuahua in the commercial, while Ralph looks like he could be a St. Bernard or an English Mastiff. He could even be a mix of the two, but what's most important is that the ad nailed the dynamic between small and big dogs. 

The Chewy peanut butter box commercial looks to be a big hit with dog lovers. The comments are populated with people singing the ad's praises and how it nails the dog mindset surrounding peanut butter so well. YouTube user @Raresnce even writes, "I swear this is my favorite commercial. Ever!!! This needs to stay on airtime rotation. 'The peanut butter box is here.'"

The commercial also makes good use of the "Small Guy, Big Guy" dynamic that's been used in film and television for decades. Oftentimes, when a duo is present, one will be short and smart, while the other is bigger, but a bit dumber. Rocky and Mugsy from "Looney Tunes" exemplified this perfectly, but it's come up repeatedly, especially in cartoons like the titular duo from "Ren and Stimpy," as well as Rocko and Heffer from "Rocko's Modern Life," which both rank amongst the best Nickelodeon shows ever. 

Giorgio, the tiny Chihuahua, is the one who actually knows what's inside the box. Meanwhile, Ralph is the bigger, dumber dog who doesn't fully understand what's going on, but associates the presence of a box with the eventual receiving of peanut butter. No doubt, many pet owners can relate to their smaller dogs being conniving little geniuses while their big dogs are just giant loaves looking for scratches. Chewy is a brand that understands its base, with the Chatty Pets campaign being a great encapsulation.