Experiential Marketing Trend of the Week: Dog-First Events -

Dog-friendly experiences have their appeal, but savvy marketers are pulling on pet parents’ heartstrings with events that don’t just allow pups, but are specifically designed with four-legged friends in mind. Whether it’s colors optimized for canines’ eyes, games and challenges built to stimulate their brains, or treat zones for their enjoyment, companies are sniffing out ways to approach dogs like the beloved family members they are—and fetching brand love from their humans in return.

To celebrate BARK’s new positioning as a company that’s “co-owned by dogs,” the brand hosted a doggo-first BARK Live event at a park in Brooklyn, NY, where a Farmer’s Barket experience served as a reimagined Saturday market affair designed from a dog’s-eye-view, including canine-height displays, games, challenges, toys and giveaways.

Among highlights were the BARK in the Belly bar that served up free dog treats, chews and food tastings, a ball pit that let dogs sniff out hidden prizes, a BARK Air lounge serving “Chompagne” for pups, chances for parents to score their pet a surprise toy, and the opportunity to chat with “dog communicator” Nancy Mello, who offered dog readings to reveal to humans what their fur baby was really thinking.

Dog-rescue organization HIT Living Foundation made the holiday season bright with its second annual Winter Holiday Market, hosted at Santa Monica Brew Works in California, a community event that served as a winter wonderland for pups and their people. The experience featured photo ops with Santa, a ball pit for doggos, “pup cups” and a cookie bar for canines, and a range of local vendors selling pet-centric items. Think: dog apparel, accessories and grooming tools.

Meanwhile, human attendees enjoyed a holiday bouquet-making station, beer tastings from Brew Works and had the chance to adopt a dog right on-site. Entrance to the event was free, while every purchase through the marketplace vendors went directly to support the L.A. nonprofit, which rescues dogs impacted by crisis events and abuse, and tackles shelter overcrowding.

J.M. Smucker-owned companies Milk-Bone and Jif teamed up to create new Peanut Buttery Bites dog treats, then leaned into collab and drop culture to promote the product with a furball-friendly launch event. Messaging on the façade of the Manhattan pop-up read: “Dogs Welcome. Humans Too.” While hyping the new treats, the brands wanted to satirize society’s preoccupation with collabs and product drops that are often nonsensical. So they developed a lineup of intentionally absurd co-branded products that were on display inside the art museum-inspired space.

The pop-up event was a canine-first experience that offered touchpoints like a “thirst trap” in the form of a camera-equipped water bowl that broadcast dogs on a large screen as they excitedly lapped up water; a Barking Bar where they sampled the Peanut Buttery Bites; and a “Butt Bit,” a fitness band that attaches to a dog’s tail and tracks how much it wags. Dogs were invited to jump up and hit a button on the wall to activate the experience.

And in the case of HBO Max, it was a special “Superman”-inspired screening event in New York City for pet parents and their pups, themed around the canine star from the DC Studios film, Krypto. While on-site, attendees viewed “The Krypto Cut,” a montage of Krypto highlights displayed on small, dog-friendly screens optimized for canine eyes and ears, including color changes and additional sensory enhancements. Humans were later treated to a full-length screening of “Superman.”

The experience additionally included activations, like dog cartooning from The New Yorker cartoonist Aunt Sarah Draws, bandana customization by a calligraphy artist, photo ops and exclusive giveaways featuring blankets, treat bags, rope toys and more. Brand partners also offered an on-site grooming and spa treatment and custom themed treats. And most importantly, HBO worked with local adoption organizations to bring rescue fosters and adoptable pups to the event.

Dog-first events are having a moment. No bones about it.

Photo credits: HBO Max; Charles Sykes/AP Content Services for Milk-Bone

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