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MAKING WAVES AT GLOBAL PET EXPO: MARKET LAUNCH
Global Pet Expo isn't just any trade show – it's the Super Bowl of pet products. So when NOBL needed to announce its presence to North America, we crafted a launch strategy that combined killer booth design, strategic social media, and influential partnerships. Our work didn’t just turn heads -- we snapped necks.
Contributors
Chuck Granade
Business Strategist
Lando Febuary
Creative Director
Pete Gade
Brand & Content Strategist
Kim Emery
Public Relations
Rob McGee
SEM Strategist
Michelle Akers
FIFA Player of the Century, Influencer
Chrissy Joy
Pet Influencer
Jefe Birkner
Search & Keyword Strategist
Zach Dolenar
SEM, Google Ad Consultant
Bobby Hougham
Executive Creative Director, TNB
John Jeffcoat
Job title, Company name
Cliff Couviloon
Exhibit Designer, VOXX Exhibits
Ryan Davies
Digital Designer
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Before, During, and After the Global Pet Expo
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Before: Integrated Marketing Campaign, Custom Trade Show Experience, Campaign Landing Page, PR, Social Campaign, Demo Packaging Design, Event Planning, Marketing 1-Pagers.
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During: Social Ad Buys, Social Community Management, Influencer Management, Event Sales Support
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After: Custom Shopify Design and Development, Final Packaging Design, Final Photography, Finished Goods Campaign, Guardian Brand & Website Refresh, Can Pet Video
Most things easy aren’t worth doing. Good thing, launching a disruptive CPG pet food brand into market at Global Pet Expo given the tight schedule and overlapping sprints for Dog Almighty and Guardian, was a challenge.
Left to Right: Co-Founder Ryan Yakma, FIFA Player of the Century, Michelle Akers, and Co-Founder Jim Galovski at Global Pet
The marketing plan we put together for the brand launches included a custom designed, branded booth with fabrication, brand activation tactics, social ad buys, printed ad spots, in-person talent, and white papers. CRRNT pitched a larger brand takeover however, we prioritized budget elsewhere and those larger tactics were cut. Even though we deprioritized the website ecommerce experience a few months before Global Pet, we built the campaign launch pages with strategic intent; the content strategy, messaging, SEO & keyword strategy had to be done up front so all content, ads, earned, paid, and free media all worked together.
It genuinely seemed as Jim was taken back on how well received the integrated brand launch was received. A number of people commented about the branding, visual design, packaging, and booth. I was privy to a few of the conversations that could have not made the CRRNT team prouder to have nailed the launch. Here’s how it all came together for Global Pet Expo.
COOKING UP A STORM IN THE PET NUTRITION KITCHEN
Our Recipe for Global Pet Expo Success
Imagine the Global Pet Expo as the ultimate cooking show, and NOBL as the star chef. Our recipe for success had three key ingredients: First, we seasoned the US market with NOBL's freshly rebranded bars and treats, ensuring every bite was unforgettable.
Next, we turned up the heat with a sizzling US Integrated Marketing Campaign, letting it simmer from expo launch all the way through the holiday feast.
Finally, we kept the kitchen bustling with a constant flow of guests, using a secret sauce of optimized search, irresistible social ads, and a buffet of compelling content. The result? A Michelin-star worthy debut that had the pet nutrition world asking for seconds!
NOURISHING BRAND GROWTH THROUGH OMNI-CHANNEL STRATEGY
Our Integrated Plan to Launching NOBL Foods
Our marketing strategy for the Global Pet Expo launch of NOBL Foods and Dog Almighty was a testament to their integrated approach to brand building. The comprehensive plan spanned digital, social, PR, print, and display channels, creating a unified brand presence across all consumer touchpoints. At the heart of this strategy was an omni-channel marketing plan that included engaging brand activations, strategically placed paid and earned media, a dynamic social media campaign, an innovative customer loyalty program, and a content plan designed to captivate and inform the target audience.
What set this launch apart was our ability to seamlessly integrate NOBL and Dog Almighty into the market while simultaneously repositioning the Guardian Pet Foods brand. This delicate balancing act required a nuanced approach to brand positioning, ensuring that each brand maintained its unique identity while still feeling part of a cohesive family.
Our strategy minimized potential brand confusion while fostering strong emotional connections with consumers. Furthermore, they tackled the practical challenge of transitioning existing inventory, creating a plan to move the old MoRE bars under the Guardian brand while paving the way for NOBL's grand entrance. This comprehensive approach demonstrated our expertise in navigating complex brand ecosystems and their commitment to successful market launches.
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN CONCEPT
We Kicked the Crap
Out of Kibble
"We Kicked the Crap out of Kibble" campaign for NOBL was a masterclass in disruptive marketing. Leveraging a mix of digital and traditional channels, the campaign boldly challenged the status quo in pet nutrition. From witty social media content to strategically targeted social ads, every element was designed to grab attention and drive engagement. It sure did, especially from non-believers of a vegan canine food bar.
The campaign's agility was demonstrated when COVID-19 hit, promptly shifting focus to eCommerce from a retail-first strategy after Global Pet. For the Global Pet Expo, we designed a custom WIX website, aligned with the booth, not only showcased the brand but also facilitated pre-orders, turning potential challenges into opportunities for customer engagement.
Customer Loyalty Program: Kibble Anonymous
Kibble Anonymous came from internal ideation around the insight leveraging programs that break bad habits. In this case, taking your dog off kibble for a nutrient packed meal in every bar.
CRRNT created a multi-tier loyalty program with a main hero aptly named “the sunglasses dog.” We effectively expressed NOBL with Kibble Anonymous (KA) by maintaining the strategic thread, attitude, and voice of the brand when writing copy for the CX.
Social Strategy, Social Ads
We laid the creative backbone for the Instagram channel just before the Global Pet Expo. The goal was to introduce the brand, marks like the nose, and key messaging paired with smart photography, supporting the NOBL positioning. Strategically, our approach was to Invite, Inspire, and Engage people across Instagram, Facebook, and Google.
If someone clicked through one of our social ads; video or static, they’d land on an Instagram channel, along with the digital CLE with a consistent visual identity and articulated brand.
Our photography recommendations steered away from the corny dog-meme style Guardian (and so many other brands) lean into when bootstrapping. All of the work resulted in a strong brand deployed into the market; let’s see if it stays true or gets fucked up (ahem! Jim). On-brand use of dogs in photos always showed canines happy, healthy, and ready to keep playing. We think dogs are nutritionally aware enough to know that kibble sucks.
Booth Brilliance: Elevating the Brand Experience
Our collaboration with VOXX Exhibits yielded an award-winning custom booth for Guardian Pet Foods at the Global Pet Expo, marking the debut of NOBL Foods and Dog Almighty Elixirs. The exhibit's centerpiece was a uniquely designed table for Dog Almighty Elixirs, featuring an illuminated glass section, flanked by two impressive brand-specific monoliths. Custom wood and metal shelving units artfully displayed Guardian's products, completing the innovative design. This carefully crafted exhibit not only facilitated a powerful market entry for the new brands but also captured an award at the expo, underscoring the impact of thoughtful design in brand launches.
WEAVING BRAND NARRATIVES THROUGH AGILITY AND AUTOGRAPHS
A Tale of Two Expert Influencer Talents
At the Global Pet Expo, NOBL brought its brand story to life through the contrasting yet complementary talents of two remarkable influencers. Together, these influencers crafted a compelling narrative of excellence, both in pet care and human achievement, that resonated deeply with expo-goers and reinforced NOBL's position as a leader in pet nutrition.
Chrissy Joy
A dog trainer, pet photographer and huge advocate of the products. Her dogs (Beasley and Whidbey) have their own social accounts and followers and was slated for several BIG movies in 2020 (including being the CGI actor for Clifford the Big Red Dog). Her dogs are also National Stunt Champions and she can talk about training, travel and convenience with our products.
Michelle Akers
She doesn’t need an introduction. She's only the FIFA Player of the Century and former US Women's National Soccer Team Captain and Gold Medalist. Her dogs (and cats) have been using NOBL products for years and she loves it. She also is a great tie-in with “Kicking the Crap Out of Kibble”. NOBL supports her Horse & Animal Rescue and she went to UCF and lived in Orlando for a while!
MoRE Bars and Whole Prey Treats (before)
Lots of opportunity existed in the pet food industry let alone, Guardian Pet Foods' packaging history was unimpressive and purely functional, with dog breed images and silhouettes on packaging not resonating with consumers.
Package Design: Developing a System for NOBL Bars & Treats
The goal in our packaging design was to extend the NOBL Foods brand, implementing a color system to handle the existing products today and future products on the roadmap while standing out on shelves.
On the treat side, the same principles applied. Guardian Pet Foods wanted their freeze-dried treats to be nutritionally sound and honest with their ingredients. The team brainstormed names that aligned with their brand philosophy, and while discussing the MoRE Bars, the concept of "Less" arose due to their minimalistic ingredient list. Ryan proposed the name "Whole Prey Treats" after pointing out how animals in the wild consume the entire heart, liver, and striated meat of their prey first. It was a perfect fit for Guardian's "Real. Simple. Honest." tagline. Additionally, the team decided to name their vegetable-based treats "No Prey" to differentiate them from the protein-based "Whole Prey" treats.
Lots of opportunity existed in the pet food industry let alone, Guardian Pet Foods' packaging history was unimpressive and purely functional, with dog breed images and silhouettes on packaging not resonating with consumers.
Wearable, Shareable, Unforgettable
We crafted a narrative that attendees could not only see but wear and share. The NOBL brand presence was felt through cleverly designed t-shirts and stickers distributed at the event, while their online store offered fans a chance to own a piece of the revolution with bold slogan tees and NOBL nose stamp mugs.
To ensure their story reached beyond the expo walls, CRRNT brought in PR maven Kim Emery, whose expertise landed the brand in various pet and outdoor publications. Emery's presence at the booth, managing media inquiries and promoting both NOBL and Dog Almighty Elixirs, wove these threads into a cohesive tale of innovation and quality in pet nutrition.
Through this multi-faceted approach, NOBL ensured their brand story wasn't just told, but experienced and shared by all who encountered it.
Custom Storefront
Design & Development
CRRNT engineered a Shopify storefront that's as unique as NOBL's products. Using JavaScript wizardry, they conjured up a shopping experience that not only wags tails but also fetches higher sales, all while giving NOBL the agility of a border collie when it comes to updates.
Mobile Marketing Automations
CRRNT unleashed a pack of smart automations in NOBL's Shopify admin, ensuring emails hunt down the right inboxes like a well-trained retriever. This digital doggie treat dispenser keeps the marketing machine running smoother than a greyhound's coat.
NOBL Stories & Custom Customer Review Tool
CRRNT rolled out NOBL Stories, letting satisfied customers bark about their experiences. These tail-wagging testimonials showcase the pawsitive impact of NOBL's canine bars, serving as social proof treats for potential buyers. The custom review tool is pretty cool too.
Store Locator &
Retail Registration
Our code fetched an API-powered store locator, helping customers sniff out local NOBL retailers faster than a bloodhound. The easy-to-use admin tool ensures NOBL can keep their pack of retailers updated without playing fetch with data all day.
UNLEASHING A TAIL-WAGGING ONLINE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FOR PET PARENTS
Where Tech Meets Treats: Custom Shopify eCommerce Platform
Our approach to NOBL Foods' eCommerce site was to create a robust, user-friendly shopping experience. From the custom-designed Shopify storefront and mobile marketing automations to engaging content strategies and a retail store locator, every element was crafted to enhance the customer experience, boost sales, and strengthen brand loyalty. This bespoke shopping solution provided NOBL with the tools to effectively reach and engage their target audience, seamlessly blending online sales with brick-and-mortar support. It's not just an online store; we built a custom Shopify eCommerce experience that has pet parents begging for more.
NOBL’s Digital Designs and Social Ad Selects
This curated collection of Shopify explorations, social ads, and photography that tells the story of a brand that didn't just enter the pet nutrition market – it redefined it.
Get the Whole Story on How We
Built and Launched NOBL Foods
Strategy & Brand Platform
NOBL Foods wasn't born in a vacuum—it emerged from our deep dive into the pet food category, strategic analysis, and brainstorming. We saw a clear opportunity to evolve from Guardian Bars and MoRE treats, informed by our brand platform which would inform everything from naming to messaging.
This foundational work wasn't just about creating a new brand; it was about crafting a one-of-a-kind identity that would challenge the status quo of pet nutrition.
Colors, Logos, Visual ID
In creating NOBL's visual identity, we didn't just design a logo – we crafted visual storytelling elements that would become brand icons. The underlined 'O' subtly nods to the revolutionary food bar format, while the NOBL Nose emerged as a distinctive brand mark.
Every color choice and design helps NOBL distinctively stand out on crowded retail shelves while working in harmony to communicate NOBL's position as a category disruptor.
Relationship Timeline
The NOBL-CRRNT timeline reads like a masterclass in agile brand building. Starting in January 2021, we moved from strategic conception to Global Pet Expo launch, navigated a pandemic-induced pivot, and culminated in an e-commerce launch in Q4 of 2922, transitioning the account in January 2023. Each milestone represents a testament to the power of strategic partnerships.
