Brief:

• Pet treats brand Greenies started an influencer campaign on Instagram that asks pet owners to share the results of its "Doggy IQ" test. The Mars Petcare-owned brand unveiled a site with a series of challenges to help dog owners measure the aptitude of their pooches, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
• In addition to the influencer campaign coordinated by public relations firm Weber Shandwick, Greenies' effort to drive traffic to the website includes a launch film, social media content and GIFs created by agency adam&eveDDB. The "Doggy IQ" test is part of the Greenies' "Dogs don't know what's good for them" campaign.
• Greenies is offering pet owners discounts on their next purchase of its products based on the test results, and is providing a link to its e-commerce site for direct orders. At the end of the test, Greenies offers consumers a chance to sign up for its email newsletter before asking mobile users to send a text to a dedicated number to receive the rebate.

Insight:

Greenies aims to engage dog owners with a gamified experience that reinforces the idea that its products promote pet health with all-natural ingredients. The "Doggy IQ" test is billed as a fun experience to help people bond with their pets rather than obtain a scientific measurement of dog intelligence, though the test was designed with an academic researcher.

By running an influencer campaign on Instagram, Greenies can cut through ad clutter and reach consumers who have tended to use social media apps more often to stay in touch with others during the pandemic. Influencer marketing is considered especially effective at reaching a younger demographic, with 44% of Gen Zers saying they had made a purchase decision based on an influencer's recommendation, compared with 26% of the general population, per a Kantar study. As Instagram users share their "Doggy IQ" scores in the app, Greenies can extend the campaign's reach among more consumers and urge others to join.

The "Doggy IQ" website also is notable in helping Greenies to gather first-party data about consumers for future promotions. The information includes an email address to receive its newsletter, a cell phone number to get a rebate code and name and address to have products shipped directly from its e-commerce site. Greenies can use the information to maintain relationships with key customers and direct sales efforts that have become more important as consumers shop online more frequently during the pandemic.

While grocery stores and pet stores that sell dog food have mostly remained open during the health crisis, many consumers are unwilling to visit stores because of safety concerns, making direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales more significant for brands like Greenies.