Fresh Step’s brand refresh simplifies the shelf experience for today’s cat owners
By Caroline Daoro, Associate Director – Marketing
Fresh Step is rolling out a significant brand refresh designed to better connect with modern cat parents and strengthen its leadership in the $5B U.S. cat litter market.
Why it matters
Committed to delivering a superior consumer experience, Fresh Step’s brand refresh reintroduces the brand with clearer value, improved performance, and a simpler, easier-to-shop portfolio, meeting the rising expectations of today’s cat parents while contributing to the broader cultural moment cats are having right now.
Background
Cat ownership is booming — and evolving, driving meaningful change across the fast-growing cat and litter categories.
- Cat households are now outpacing dog households in growth, with Millennials and Gen Z driving 100% of new cat household growth. These consumers are redefining what it means to be a cat owner, moving away from outdated stereotypes and embracing cats as expressive, personality-filled companions and convenient, deeply loved family members.
- At the same time, the cat litter category continues to perform strongly, delivering three consecutive years of growth at a +7% CAGR from FY23–FY25 (Circana; retail dollar sales). Yet despite this momentum, 1 in 3 cat parents remain dissatisfied with their litter.
What’s new?
Consumer-centric innovation grounded in insight
The refresh is rooted in deep consumer research and addresses the category’s most persistent pain points, including odor control, clumping performance, and dust. By streamlining the portfolio and sharpening benefit communication, Fresh Step aims to reduce confusion and improve satisfaction for both new and experienced cat owners.
A clearer, more intuitive shelf experience
Fresh Step has reimagined its packaging and omni-channel shelf presence to make it easier for shoppers to navigate the aisle, compare options, and confidently select the right litter for their needs.
- Updated product detail pages and shelf visuals clearly call out key benefits, improving findability and decision-making.
- The refreshed packaging also introduces a real-life cat — “Ginger” — replacing animated imagery to bring warmth, personality, and authenticity to the shelf.
- The result is a more modern, expressive look that delivers clearer value cues and a more intuitive shopping experience both in-store and online.
As part of the refresh, Fresh Step is introducing its Lightweight litter in a new jug format, transitioning from a carton to a package that is easier to carry, pour, and store.
- This change directly responds to consumers seeking relief from the physical strain of handling traditional litter.
- Fresh Step is also launching Odor Shield Lightweight with Gain Fresh scent, extending the popular Gain fragrance experience to consumers who want powerful odor control in a lighter-weight format.
A social-first national campaign
For the first time, Fresh Step is leading with a social-first media strategy across platforms including Instagram, Facebook TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube Shorts.
- The new campaign, “Is It Crazy or Is It Love?”, reclaims the “crazy cat person” stereotype and reframes it as passionate devotion.
- The campaign celebrates the unique bond between cats and their people, tapping into humor, emotion, and cultural relevance to connect with a new generation of cat parents where they already spend their time.
What’s next?
The “Is It Crazy or Is It Love?” campaign, launches at a moment when cat culture is thriving with 96% of pet owners viewing their pets as an important part of the family.
Debuting in February, the campaign brings the Fresh Step refresh to life, building awareness, driving retail energy, and reintroducing the brand to cat parents who are more eager than ever to celebrate the love they share with their cats.
The bottom line
Fresh Step’s brand refresh delivers a superior consumer experience, combining better performance, simpler choices, and a more modern portfolio designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s cat parents and set the brand up for continued growth.
