How Pet Product Brands are Perfecting PR: The Success Stories of Petco and BarkBox

In an ever-growing pet product industry, pet public relations strategies have become a crucial component of a brand’s ability to stand out. The pet product market has seen remarkable expansion over the past few years, with a multitude of brands vying for consumer attention. As pet owners increasingly view their animals as family members, they expect brands to reflect their values, address their needs, and build emotional connections. The companies that excel in public relations are the ones that create trust, align with consumer values, and remain engaged in meaningful conversations with their audiences. 

In this op-ed, we explore two companies—Petco and BarkBox—that have successfully harnessed the power of PR to build strong brand identities, establish customer loyalty, and capture market share.

Petco: Leading with Purpose and Compassion

Petco is a brand that has long been a staple in the pet care industry. With its foundation built on providing pet supplies, services, and expert advice, Petco has established itself as a trusted name in the world of pet products. However, the company has had to evolve in recent years, not only to compete with new online players like Chewy but also to address changing consumer expectations. Today’s pet owners are more informed and concerned about the ethical and environmental impacts of the products they buy, which has led Petco to reassess its approach.

One of the key elements of Petco’s PR success has been its ability to position itself as a company with a deep sense of purpose. A significant turning point came in 2020, when Petco made a bold decision to shift its focus from simply selling pet products to promoting pet health and well-being. The company launched its “The Wellbeing of Pets is Our Purpose” campaign, a move that elevated Petco’s brand from just a pet retailer to a health-centric advocate for pets.

This campaign was a powerful PR tool because it aligned with a broader societal trend: the growing demand for health-conscious and sustainable products. The shift also helped Petco stand out from its competitors, many of which are still focused on offering standard pet supplies. Petco’s messaging emphasized the importance of holistic pet care, such as offering nutritious food options, eco-friendly pet products, and promoting animal welfare initiatives.

Additionally, Petco has used its public relations strategies to demonstrate its commitment to animals in need. The company has consistently promoted pet adoption through partnerships with organizations like Petfinder, and it often runs pet public relations and pet marketing  campaigns spotlighting adoptable pets. This commitment to adoption resonates deeply with pet owners who feel strongly about supporting causes that align with their values. Petco’s ability to align its corporate message with consumer sentiment—particularly around issues like animal welfare—has been a driving force behind its PR success.

BarkBox: Building a Brand with Humor and Community

On the other end of the spectrum, BarkBox has carved out its niche in the pet product market by creating a fun, engaging, and highly relatable brand experience. Founded in 2012, BarkBox is a subscription service that sends curated boxes of toys, treats, and other goodies to dog owners on a monthly basis. From the outset, BarkBox made a clear decision to market itself differently—by blending pet care with humor and a strong sense of community.

BarkBox’s PR strategy has been key to its meteoric rise, particularly due to the company’s use of humor and relatability in its marketing. Through its social media campaigns and advertising, BarkBox presents itself not just as a pet product company but as a brand that “gets” pet owners. This humorous and down-to-earth approach has allowed BarkBox to differentiate itself from more traditional pet care brands. One of the company’s most successful PR tactics has been the integration of its brand voice into user-generated content. Customers are encouraged to share pictures and videos of their dogs enjoying their BarkBox treats, and BarkBox frequently reposts these on its own social media channels, amplifying the brand’s message of fun and connection.

The brand’s PR efforts also extend into viral marketing. By collaborating with social media influencers and leveraging user-generated content, BarkBox created a strong, authentic presence in the digital landscape. The company’s engagement with pet influencers has been a key driver in building community and brand awareness. The BarkBox Instagram account, for example, features not only professional photography but also user-submitted photos of dogs enjoying their monthly boxes. This sense of community, where pet owners can feel part of an ongoing conversation, has been a key to BarkBox’s PR success.

Moreover, BarkBox has embraced the power of surprise and delight in its PR campaigns. The brand’s subscription model relies heavily on an element of mystery—pet owners never quite know what’s in their next box. This anticipation has fueled excitement and word-of-mouth promotion, with BarkBox subscribers often sharing unboxing videos online. BarkBox capitalized on this by encouraging its customers to document and share the experience. By tapping into this natural enthusiasm, BarkBox’s PR strategy became viral, further boosting brand visibility and consumer loyalty.

BarkBox has also made an effort to align itself with charitable causes. Through its “BarkGood” program, BarkBox donates proceeds to animal shelters and rescue organizations. This initiative has not only strengthened the brand’s connection with socially conscious pet owners but has also provided positive press opportunities. The brand’s focus on giving back has earned it widespread recognition and helped solidify its reputation as a company that cares about more than just profits.

The Importance of Customer Engagement in Pet Product PR

Both Petco and BarkBox understand the importance of customer engagement in their PR strategies. While Petco has leveraged its philanthropic work and focus on holistic pet care to foster trust and loyalty, BarkBox has used humor, surprise, and community-building to engage its audience. However, what these two brands have in common is their ability to make customers feel valued.

For example, Petco has built relationships with customers by offering pet health resources, such as articles, videos, and expert advice through its website and social media. The brand provides customers with information that empowers them to make more informed decisions about their pets’ health. This customer-first approach not only strengthens the bond between Petco and its consumers but also helps foster a sense of loyalty.

BarkBox, on the other hand, has built engagement by creating a playful and interactive brand personality. By encouraging customers to share their unboxing experiences and interacting with followers on social media, BarkBox taps into the innate love pet owners have for their dogs. The brand’s tone, which is often humorous and quirky, resonates with customers, making them feel as though they’re part of a larger community. BarkBox’s PR efforts are less about traditional advertising and more about sparking organic conversations that naturally build loyalty.

Both companies excel in using data to drive their PR efforts. Petco uses insights from customer interactions, purchase history, and feedback to tailor its PR campaigns, ensuring that its messaging aligns with the evolving needs of pet owners. BarkBox similarly uses customer data to understand which products and themes resonate most with their audience, enabling them to deliver better-targeted campaigns.

Why PR Matters in the Competitive Pet Product Market

As the pet product market becomes more crowded and competitive, it’s clear that effective PR can be the differentiator that sets brands apart. Petco and BarkBox have successfully navigated this landscape by focusing on two critical elements of PR: trust and engagement. In a sector where emotional connection with the customer is paramount, both brands have learned how to tap into the needs, desires, and values of pet owners.

PR in the pet product industry goes beyond just promoting products; it’s about building relationships and establishing a brand’s values. Pet owners want to feel that the brands they support share their concerns about pet welfare, environmental sustainability, and the health of their pets. By aligning their PR strategies with these values, Petco and BarkBox have not only built customer loyalty but have also set new standards for how pet product brands should communicate with their audiences.

As the pet industry continues to grow, PR will remain an essential tool for brands to build lasting connections with customers. Petco’s focus on health and adoption, combined with BarkBox’s playful and community-driven approach, demonstrates the power of strong, strategic PR. These companies have understood that in order to thrive in a competitive landscape, they must be more than just suppliers of pet products—they must be brands that care about the well-being of pets, the values of their customers, and the importance of engagement and transparency.

For any pet product brand seeking to replicate this success, the key takeaway is clear: PR isn’t just about getting the word out—it’s about telling a story, building trust, and creating an emotional connection with consumers. The future of pet product PR lies in cultivating a meaningful relationship with customers, and brands like Petco and BarkBox are leading the way.