Sorry, cats, but dogs have been the event industry’s favorite pet project lately. From “barkery” treats to a tattoo "paw-lor," we’ve rounded up some ideas from recent events, benefits, and pop-ups that catered to furry friends in clever and too-cute ways.
Rescue Dogs Rock was onsite to assist with finding homes for adoptable dogs.
Human’s Best Friend, an immersive, dog-centric indoor playground for dogs, recently closed in New York after a two-month run. This Instagram museum for dogs was curated by Livesight and featured a series of rooms like a technicolor backyard, a toy pit, a “water bowl” filled with blue tennis balls, and a boneyard.
On November 9, the Humane Society of the United States hosted its annual gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. At the entrance, event planning and production firm Eventique created a three-room photo vignette for guests to pose with three rescue dogs that had been part of a Humane Society campaign. The rooms were based on each dog's social-media personality such as a couch-loving pitbull named Chase (@sometimescarl) whose setup included a giant paw print couch and bone decor.
The other two rooms featured a jet set theme stacked with suitcases adorned with travel stickers from fictitious hotel brands like Dog Days Inn and Red Woof Inn and a cozy library setting with famous books brandishing on-theme titles like The Old Man and the Dogs instead of The Old Man and the Sea.
The table centerpieces included illuminated shapes of different animals nestled in patches of grass.
The gala included a live auction with paddles in the shape of dog bones. Eventique also commissioned an artist to create a painting of the three rescue dogs (@ellabeanthedog, @sometimescarl, and @hamiltonpug), which was hung in one of the vignettes. Although it wasn’t intended for auction, the Humane Society received inquiries into purchasing the art after the event. It’s now up for auction.
On November 17, Samsung hosted a pop-up pet park in New York’s Greenwich Village neighborhood, where dog owners could stop by and learn about the brand’s SmartThings Tracker. BMF Media was the experiential partner for the event.
Dogs played in the park setting and indulged in “barkery” treats and grooming sessions, while their humans learned how the Samsung SmartThings Tracker works.
A black-and-white illustrated wall mural included 3-D objects such as a dog leash and a backpack equipped with the brand’s tracker device.
Pets posed for custom caricature drawings.
At the launch party for Wild One, a new line of pet products, guests were invited to B.Y.O.D. (bring your own dog). Plus, adoptable pups were onsite from rescue partner Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue. The event was held at North Brooklyn Farms in September.
The brand, which also opened up an immersive pop-up retail store in the NoLita neighborhood of New York, hosts events in the new space. Programming includes a Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue Adoption event this Saturday, plus an upcoming holiday market and an ugly sweater party.
Earlier this month, Freshpet hosted its Tattoo "Pawlor" at First Class Tattoos in New York. Visitors could enter a raffle to win a pet-theme tattoo, grab some Freshpet swag, and take home all-natural Freshpet treats for their pups.
At the fourth annual Walk in the Park Gala, held at Daniels Spectrum in Toronto in October, tables featured rotating bedazzled dog centerpieces inspired by Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog sculpture. The centerpieces were auctioned off to the highest bidders and included restaurant vouchers.
The event offered upscale dog treats.
In June, more than 1,400 pups and their owners gathered at Brookfield Place in New York for the Best Dog Day Ever, hosted by the animal-centric website the Dodo in partnership with Samsung. The festival geared toward dogs included a ball pit for both the pups and their humans.
Paw- and bone-shaped pools were available for dogs to cool down in.
Trainers from Who’s Walking Who took the pups through a mini obstacle course and taught their owners some training tricks.
The 2018 American Humane Hero Dog Awards, which took place in September at the Beverly Hilton, featured on-theme centerpieces by Sherman Oaks-based floral designers Mulberry Row, in addition to dog adoptions and awards for the country’s bravest canines.
