The "Beach, Park, Walkies" campaign by My Dog, created by BBDO and released in New Zealand in 2018, centers on the sensory experience of dogs, emphasizing the unique and rich world perceived through their enhanced sense of smell. By highlighting that a dog’s nose is 50 times more powerful than a human’s, the campaign positions My Dog’s Home Recipe product as an extension of this heightened sensory journey—a flavor experience tailored specifically to dogs’ exceptional olfactory abilities. This approach suggests that feeding My Dog’s Home Recipe is not just about nutrition but about enriching a dog’s daily life through taste and scent, aligning product consumption with moments of outdoor exploration.
Strategically, the campaign leverages the intimate bond between dog owners and their pets, focusing on everyday activities like visits to the beach or park that dogs find stimulating. The creative angle treats these outings as multi-sensory experiences ("dogustations") that engage dogs on a deeper level, implicitly encouraging pet owners to consider their dogs’ sensory needs when choosing food. By framing the product as a natural follow-up to these shared adventures, the campaign taps into an emotional insight: dog owners want to provide enriching, wholesome experiences for their pets that go beyond basic care. The use of narrative film allows for storytelling that connects emotionally while showcasing the environment in which dogs thrive. The moderate view count and absence of engagement metrics suggest the campaign had a focused reach, likely targeting dedicated dog owners who value a premium and thoughtful approach to pet nutrition. Overall, the campaign uses sensory storytelling and experiential insight to position My Dog as a brand that understands and caters to the nuanced needs of dogs, strengthening its appeal within the competitive pets market.
FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact.
This campaign uses a symbolic approach to convey the unique benefits of My Dog Home Recipe™, focusing on the sensory joy and heightened olfactory experience of dogs. The narrative, referencing a dog’s nose being “50x more powerful,” and likening everyday outings like the beach to a “smell entrée” or “dogustation,” ascribes exaggerated, vivid gourmet experiences to the dog. The product link is made by encouraging owners to extend these extraordinary experiences into mealtime with My Dog, symbolically suggesting its food provides senses-igniting delight on par with outdoor adventures. The creative device does not tell a linear story, rely on testimonials, or highlight a problem. Instead, it builds an imaginative symbolic world where the brand’s benefit—delightful sensory adventure—is visualized through analogy and enhanced experience, perfectly matching Format 9’s definition.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Royal Canin – Market Positioning
Royal Canin positions itself as a premium pet nutrition brand that focuses on breed-specific, science-backed formulas. It differentiates by emphasizing veterinary expertise and tailored health benefits, appealing to pet owners seeking specialized dietary solutions for their dogs’ unique needs.
2. Pedigree – Market Positioning
Pedigree occupies a mass-market position, offering affordable and widely available dog food with a focus on overall health, happiness, and vitality. Its marketing highlights emotional bonds between owners and pets, stressing nourishment that supports joyful, active lifestyles for dogs.
3. Black Hawk – Market Positioning
Black Hawk targets pet owners who prioritize natural, holistic pet nutrition. Their positioning centers on using high-quality, Australian-made ingredients with no artificial additives, promoting health and wellbeing through wholesome, grain-inclusive and grain-free options.
4. Hill’s Science Diet – Market Positioning
Hill’s Science Diet focuses on clinically developed pet nutrition recommended by veterinarians. They emphasize scientifically formulated products that address specific health concerns, targeting discerning pet owners seeking optimized wellness backed by research.
5. Canine Creek – Market Positioning
Canine Creek positions itself as a premium, natural dog food brand known for high animal protein content and limited ingredient recipes. It appeals to health-conscious owners interested in ancestral, nutrient-rich diets that promote canine vitality and longevity.
Q: What is Beach, Park, Walkies about?
A: Beach, Park, Walkies is a 2018 campaign created by BBDO for the brand My Dog, launched in New Zealand and positioned within the pets industry. The campaign centers on the emotional and sensory connection between pet owners and their dogs, using evocative storytelling to highlight the unique world dogs experience through their heightened sense of smell. Through film, the campaign portrays everyday outdoor moments—like trips to the beach—as rich sensory adventures for dogs, aligning these experiences with the natural, flavorful qualities of My Dog Home Recipe. The work aims to deepen brand affinity by presenting My Dog as an integral part of a joyful, shared lifestyle.
Q: What creative device does Beach, Park, Walkies use?
A: Beach, Park, Walkies employs Format #9 Symbolize the Benefit from Clapboard’s 12-format classification system. This creative approach uses symbolic and exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact, focusing on the sensory joy dogs experience. The campaign likens outings such as the beach to a “smell entrée” or “dogustation,” vividly illustrating the idea that My Dog Home Recipe delivers a sensory delight on par with these adventures. Rather than relying on linear storytelling or testimonials, the campaign constructs an imaginative world where the product’s benefit is visualized through analogy and enhanced experience.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Beach, Park, Walkies?
A: The campaign proposition for Beach, Park, Walkies positions My Dog Home Recipe as more than just nutrition—it is an extension of a dog’s sensory-rich life. By emphasizing that a dog’s nose is 50 times more powerful than a human’s, the campaign suggests that My Dog’s food offers a flavor experience that matches the excitement of outdoor exploration. Targeting dedicated dog owners in the pets market, the campaign taps into the desire to provide enriching, wholesome experiences for pets, aligning product consumption with the emotional and sensory fulfillment that comes from shared adventures.
Q: How does Beach, Park, Walkies rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Beach, Park, Walkies holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards.
Q: Who are the competitors in My Dog's category?
A: In the pet food sector, My Dog competes with brands such as Royal Canin, which is known for its premium, breed-specific nutrition backed by veterinary expertise, and Pedigree, which targets the mass market with an emphasis on health and happiness. Black Hawk appeals to owners seeking natural, holistic ingredients, while Hill’s Science Diet focuses on clinically developed, veterinarian-recommended formulas for specific health needs. Canine Creek positions itself as a premium, high-protein option for health-conscious owners interested in nutrient-rich, ancestral diets.