Pet toys are gifts of love, bought on impulse. And what triggers that impulse is the packaging they see when they walk into a pet store or grooming studio. That packaging has to make pet owners stop, look and love – instantly - or they’ll walk on by and get on with what they’re actually doing there. It has to make the product inside irresistible at first sight.
The Sticks stand out. They hang from a tall, eye-catching green display unit. They’re brightly coloured. And they have names, personalities…friendly personalities. Action figures (Despicable Me, Toy Story…The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are still Europe’s top selling action figure) rely on being engaging 'human' characters too.
Sarah Halling, Bondi manager of Dogue says that packaging is her first criteria when assessing products from her suppliers. She observes every day the attributes that make her clients pick up a pet toy.
“Obviously, we do thorough research into the product itself, but packaging is a major factor that contributes to the sale of a product in store, so I am very mindful of how creators package their products. Our consumers look for unique and “stand-out” designs. I know when I go shopping too, the packaging and labelling is something that I notice in particular, as it also tells more of a story about the product. You are either attracted or not!”
Woody and Twiggy are the founding Sticks. Now, they have a family of siblings. They are made of recycled rubber, are splinter-proof, they float and have glow in the dark eyes. They were the brain children of Jessica and Jamie Knight, whose company Doog now sells The Sticks and Walkie Belt plus its clip-on accessories globally. It also distributes other clever pet products in Australia here in Australia - the Molly Mutt DIY beds and the beautifully designed dog bowl range, the Fellipet bowls.
