The pet industry isn’t just about products; it’s about enhancing pet wellness and promoting responsible ownership. Pet public relations and pet digital marketing play pivotal roles in driving these goals. Two companies leading the charge with impactful, well-executed campaigns are Petco and The Dodo.
Petco: Championing Pet Wellness Through Integrated PR and Digital Outreach
Petco’s approach to public relations centers on positioning itself as a trusted partner in pet health. Their “Love to Care” campaign, launched in 2020, is a prime example. The campaign combined heartfelt stories of pet adoption, expert vet advice, and wellness education, aiming to empower pet parents to make informed decisions.
Petco strategically partnered with veterinary professionals, animal behaviorists, and nonprofit rescue organizations to amplify their message. Media outreach included targeted press releases, expert op-eds, and live Q&A sessions that positioned Petco as a leader in pet care.
In terms of digital marketing, Petco has developed a robust content ecosystem. Their website features blogs, instructional videos, and personalized pet wellness plans. They use social media platforms to run interactive campaigns like “Ask a Vet,” where followers submit questions that are answered in real time. This two-way engagement builds trust and educates consumers in a way that drives loyalty and repeat business.
Elevating Wellness Beyond Products
What sets Petco apart in its digital marketing strategy is the company’s holistic approach to pet wellness. Recognizing that pet ownership is about more than buying food or toys, Petco has invested heavily in building a wellness-first brand identity. This strategy includes the launch of “Petco Veterinary Services,” which integrates veterinary care into many of its retail locations, promoting preventative care.
In their PR campaigns, Petco frequently highlights the importance of preventive health care — from vaccination reminders to nutrition advice. Their messaging stresses that pet health is a lifelong commitment. For instance, in 2021, Petco’s “Love to Care” campaign ran a series of video testimonials featuring real pet parents discussing how regular wellness checkups transformed their pets’ lives.
Community Engagement and Social Responsibility
Petco also excels at community-driven initiatives. Their “Hope for Pets” campaign, which donates proceeds from certain product sales to rescue organizations, creates a powerful narrative of giving back. PR efforts around these campaigns generate positive media attention and social proof, encouraging customers to feel part of a larger movement.
Digital marketing strategies bolster this by encouraging customers to share their rescue stories on social media using dedicated hashtags, such as #LoveToCare. This user-generated content serves as both authentic storytelling and social proof, increasing engagement and organic reach.
Data-Driven Personalization
Behind Petco’s digital success lies sophisticated data analytics. Their e-commerce platform tracks customer preferences and pet profiles, allowing them to deliver personalized marketing messages and product recommendations. For example, a dog owner might receive tailored content about joint supplements or seasonal allergies relevant to their pet’s breed and age.
This hyper-personalization enhances customer experience and drives repeat purchases, making the marketing efforts not only meaningful but highly efficient.
Integrating Traditional and Digital PR
Petco also understands that digital marketing and traditional PR should not operate in silos. The company regularly secures expert placements in major media outlets, providing veterinarians and animal behaviorists as spokespeople for trends in pet wellness. These authoritative voices add credibility to the brand’s messaging and drive traffic to Petco’s digital platforms.
Their live events, such as in-store pet wellness clinics, are promoted through PR channels and streamed online, offering multi-channel touchpoints that keep audiences engaged offline and online.
The Dodo: Storytelling That Sparks Action and Compassion
The Dodo, a digital media company dedicated to animal stories, has revolutionized pet PR by focusing purely on emotional storytelling combined with viral digital marketing. Their formula: authentic, shareable content that promotes animal welfare and sparks empathy.
The Dodo’s campaigns, such as “Rescue Stories,” have reached millions through Facebook and Instagram, blending short-form videos with written narratives that spotlight rescues, medical miracles, and heartwarming pet-human bonds. They don’t just tell stories; they call viewers to action by promoting adoption events, fundraising, and awareness campaigns.
Their digital strategy relies heavily on social proof—sharing user-generated stories and encouraging followers to post their own rescue experiences. The Dodo’s ability to harness social media algorithms to prioritize emotional content has created one of the most engaged pet-loving communities online.
Mastering Viral Emotional Storytelling
At its core, The Dodo’s PR and digital marketing power lies in storytelling that moves audiences. Unlike traditional pet product brands, The Dodo is a content-first platform, prioritizing emotional narratives over direct sales. Their content features compelling rescue stories, videos of miraculous recoveries, and everyday acts of kindness between humans and animals.
This approach works exceptionally well on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, where algorithmic preferences often favor video content that evokes strong emotions. For instance, their video “Dog Rescued From Flood Reunites With Owner” garnered over 20 million views, creating massive awareness and goodwill.
Social Media as a Catalyst for Change
The Dodo leverages social media not just to inform but to mobilize. Their campaigns encourage followers to participate in adoption drives, donate to animal shelters, and volunteer at rescue organizations. This blending of content and cause marketing enhances their credibility and makes the brand a powerful force in animal welfare.
One notable campaign, “Shelter Pet Project,” partnered with the Humane Society to promote pet adoption. The Dodo created engaging videos highlighting the stories of shelter animals, which were widely shared and directly linked to adoption resources. This campaign not only increased adoption rates but also positioned The Dodo as a leader in advocacy-driven digital marketing.
Harnessing User-Generated Content for Authenticity
The Dodo’s social media channels are flooded with user-generated content. They actively encourage followers to submit their own pet rescue or adoption stories, which are then shared widely. This community-driven content adds authenticity, making the platform feel like a vibrant, inclusive hub for pet lovers.
Moreover, by reposting user content and interacting with followers, The Dodo fosters a sense of belonging. This organic engagement fuels viral growth and keeps their audience invested emotionally.
Strategic Partnerships Amplify Reach
Another cornerstone of The Dodo’s PR strategy is collaboration with animal welfare organizations, veterinarians, and influencers. These partnerships help amplify their messaging and add layers of credibility. For example, collaborations with popular pet influencers who share their rescue stories tap into new audiences and increase trust.
The Dodo’s work with nonprofits extends beyond content creation to joint fundraising campaigns and awareness days, making their digital marketing efforts a seamless extension of on-the-ground activism.
Strategic Takeaways for the Pet Industry
The successes of Petco and The Dodo provide valuable lessons for pet brands and organizations aiming to harness pet PR and pet digital marketing effectively:
Multi-Channel Storytelling
Using PR to place expert voices alongside emotionally engaging digital content creates a powerful brand narrative. Petco’s integration of veterinary experts into campaigns and The Dodo’s human-interest stories illustrate how combining factual authority with emotional resonance can build trust and drive engagement.
Education + Emotion
Petco’s wellness education campaigns show the importance of blending hard facts with empathetic messaging. Meanwhile, The Dodo’s emotional storytelling demonstrates that fostering compassion and empathy can inspire action. Brands that balance education and emotion are more likely to influence consumer behavior positively.
Community-Driven Campaigns
Encouraging user participation creates viral momentum and authentic engagement. Both Petco and The Dodo harness user-generated content to build strong communities. This two-way communication fosters loyalty and generates organic marketing benefits.
Purpose-Driven Branding
Aligning with social causes builds brand loyalty among socially conscious consumers. Petco’s partnerships with rescues and The Dodo’s advocacy for animal welfare show that purpose-driven branding is no longer optional—it’s essential for long-term success.
Looking Forward: The Future of Pet PR and Digital Marketing
As pet ownership continues to grow globally, consumers increasingly expect brands to be more than transactional—they want partners in their pet care journeys who share their values. Petco and The Dodo have set new benchmarks by demonstrating that pet public relations and digital marketing done well can elevate pet wellness, drive social change, and build vibrant, engaged communities.
Emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) and AI-driven personalization promise to take these efforts even further, enabling brands to create immersive educational experiences and hyper-targeted content.
Moreover, as social platforms evolve and new media consumption habits emerge, pet brands will need to stay agile, continuously blending storytelling, education, and community engagement to maintain relevance and impact.
In a crowded marketplace, the brands that succeed will be those that see their customers—and their pets—not as mere consumers, but as members of a shared community dedicated to health, happiness, and compassionate care.
