Client: Canidae
Services: Location-based media strategy, programmatic out-of-home activation, creative scaling and optimization
Overview and Challenges:
Canidae, a premium pet food brand committed to sustainability, set out to reduce reliance on single-use plastics with the launch of its first-of-its-kind Kibble Refill Station: an in-store solution that allows customers to purchase dog food with minimal packaging waste.
To successfully pilot this new experience in select Southern California Petco stores, Canidae partnered with January Digital to drive in-store adoption and awareness of the eco-friendly offering, with the goal of scaling to 100+ locations nationwide. The strategy had to educate consumers on a new, unfamiliar way to shop for pet food, and convert that awareness into trial and adoption.
A major challenge was visual storytelling. The Kibble Refill Station was new to the category, and success depended on clearly communicating its benefits and functionality. January Digital also needed to navigate the creative demands of programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaigns, which required a wide variety of asset sizes and formats across a tight timeline.
Goals:
- Drive in-store engagement and adoption of the new Kibble Refill Station pilot program
- Increase foot traffic to participating Petco locations using precision-targeted media
- Acquire new customers and raise awareness for Canidae’s sustainability initiatives
Our Work:
January Digital implemented a location-intelligent, highly targeted DOOH strategy to introduce Canidae’s refill innovation to both current Petco shoppers and high-potential pet owners:
- Deployed Hyper-Targeted DOOH Near Key Retail Locations
Integrated mobile device data from PlaceIQ to identify and prioritize screens near dog parks and Petco locations with high foot traffic from pet owners. Targeting was layered against peak business hours to maximize exposure. - Aligned Media Formats to Eco-Aware Audiences
Selected placements that mirrored the mindset of environmentally conscious consumers including screens near EV charging stations and other sustainability-aligned venues. - Optimized in Real Time to Maximize Store-Level Impact
Maintained full visibility into media spend and engagement through real-time dashboards, allowing teams to tie in-store sales directly to media and optimize campaign performance by channel. - Collaborated Closely on Scalable Creative Execution
Partnered with internal and external creative teams to deliver a large volume of assets across varied formats to ensure the refill station’s value was clearly communicated across every screen type.
Results and Business Impact:
Canidae’s Kibble Refill Station launch exceeded expectations, validating both the campaign strategy and the broader retail concept:
- Increased average weekly store sales by nearly 5× at participating Petco locations
- Drove a 146% lift in in-store visitation, as measured by foot traffic study
- Captured 50% new-to-brand customers at refill stations, significantly higher than locations without the pilot
