Brad Pitt has released a new advert for the coffee machine brand De'Longhi, timed to coincide with the release of his new film, The Heart of the Beast, in which he stars alongside a rescue dog. Directed by Spike Jonze, the roughly two-minute commercial takes a very different tone from Pitt's earnest, dog-themed drama, instead showing him meekly obeying a pack of real dogs who insult and boss him around while he tries to make coffee. The piece has drawn attention for being unexpectedly funny and self-aware, standing in contrast both to the derivative plot of his new film and to his earlier, more static De'Longhi commercials.

The advert promotes the De'Longhi Magnifica Duo, which retails for about £700 in the UK, though the product itself is largely incidental to the humour. In the ad, dogs with names and even outfits berate Pitt for waking up late, making the wrong kind of coffee and having a bad attitude, with one dog denying him coffee altogether until he improves his behaviour. Commentators have noted that the light-hearted, self-deprecating tone may also serve to soften Pitt's public image following his highly publicised divorce from Angelina Jolie and her allegations of past intoxication and violence.