Pup Obsessed
If your dog is anything like mine, he absolutely loves a new toy…and he loves chewing through said new toy. He is the sweetest love-pup I have ever met, but when it comes to those plush animals, it looks like a stuffing massacre in my living room by the end of the toy’s life. This is why BarkBox is so perfect: new toys at my doorstep every month without even having to think about it!
Founded in 2012, BarkBox is a subscription-based service that sends each customer an assortment of new toys, treats, and chews every month. The company currently has 500,000 subscribers, a 95% retention rate, and a 70% year-over-year revenue growth rate.(Retail Dive) In case you can’t tell, that’s very successful. At $23 per month, each box has a new theme, and saves customers the timely and costly trip to chain stores like Petco and PetSmart. A BarkBox comes with two high quality toys, two packs of all natural treats, and one chew toy — a combination of products worth over $40.
BarkBox does a solid job in advertising that they are a company that cares about dogs. Their website states:
By dog people, for dogs (and their people). At BARK, we want to make dogs as happy as they make us. Because dogs and humans are better together. That’s why we’re committed to creating the world’s best products and experiences to satisfy each individual dog’s distinct personality and preferences.
I don’t know about you, but that quote gives me total and complete faith that this company cares about the products it packs for my little one. BarkBox’s target market is dog lovers, and I would go as far as to say that they target the type of owner that is absolutely obsessed with their pet. This type of person is willing to spend money to make their dog happy. They most likely already bring treats and toys home for their pet monthly, and also care about the quality of the food and treats they feed their little friend. (All of BarkBox’s products are marketed as “all natural” and never contain soy, wheat or corn.) The human age range that falls into this pet-obsessed category is millennials. Millennials as a whole are convenience-based, content-oriented, health-focused, and have been dubbed the creator of the “pet parent.” In fact, per Zulily, 82% of millennials think of getting a dog as part of starting a family. (Retail Dive) BarkBox came onto the scene as the dog-owning world began leaning away from the “man’s best friend” dog who hangs outside, and into the world where our pet sits at the dinner table, hangs out in our purse at the store, and never leaves our side.
BarkBox is unique in that they are not just selling dog products, but you can tell that the company really cares about animals. The website even leads you to their non-profit branch entitled “BARK for Good” that states,
BARK is working to lower existing barriers to a dog-inclusive lifestyle and help dogs and their people stay together. Using education, technology, and volunteerism, we pledge to loyally serve as the voice for dogs in a human-led world.
Customers feel nurtured by this company, and know that their dog will be cared for as well. When a potential customer visits the website, they are not blasted with products and upsells, but greeted with friendly canine faces, and employees hanging with their dog friends. BarkBox continues this journey of trust during the sign-up stage when you realize that each box is personalized for your pet. The website leads you through a quiz where you state your dog’s age, likes, dislikes and preferences, resulting in a box each month that is perfect for your pooch. (And you know that all millennials love a quiz!)
BarkBox has done a majority of their marketing on the platform where their target market hangs out: Instagram. BarkBox’s Instagram has the prestigious blue checkmark, verifying their company, and a following of 1.7 million. In this content-driven world, BarkBox has sunk its teeth into the idea that pet-owners love to turn their dogs into Instagram models, and have made the Instagram page a must-follow for any dog-lover. It’s content is all dog, all the time. From memes to funny tweets, dogs in costumes and hilarious photoshopped photos, BarkBox’s Instagram fulfills a canine connoisseur’s dreams. One can scroll forever and find cute photos of pooches, many of which are enjoying BarkBox products. Wouldn’t you want your furry friend to be part of that cool crowd? Any millennial will answer: yes.
With their growth and popularity as proof, BarkBox knows what they are doing with their marketing. Having a successful Instagram handy, I would incorporate competitions into the marketing strategies. As a millennial, having your pet featured on BarkBox’s Instagram is a huge honor. I would offer a featured post and an interview about your pet as a prize for Best Photo with BarkBox’s newest toy. This would also help to create user-generated content.
In conclusion, BarkBox has done a perfect job of tapping into the millennial pet-obsessed market and has created a community of canine-loving humans that want to make the world a better place for dogs, one box at a time.
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