Fetching fame for Pointer’s pet products

Solution

Building the strategy

Leopard Co began by developing Pointer’s strategy using its bespoke BxROAR framework. Like all effective strategy work, this began with research.

The team looked externally at major category players, market growth forecasts, media consumption habits of dog owners and relevant cultural trends. Internally, there was also valuable data to analyse, including product reviews and historic sales data.

To add primary insight, Leopard Co designed a questionnaire to better understand dog owners’ habits, asking questions around purchase locations, frequency, types of treats bought and reasons for buying. This was followed by qualitative research with Pointer’s sales team, wholesalers, retailers and dog owners, including both Pointer customers and non-customers.

This process uncovered several themes that underpinned the strategy and helped shape the brand’s roadmap for growth.

Applying behavioural insight

Leopard Co’s strategy team used behavioural science to inform the direction of the work. One key concept was Category Entry Points, often associated with the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. For dog treat purchase behaviour, these are the reasons or factors that influence a dog owner to buy treats.

The team identified a number of Category Entry Points for Pointer, then prioritised the strongest areas to focus on. This helped turn the strategic insight into a clear activation roadmap.

Always-on activation

Once the strategy had been defined, Leopard Co moved into delivery. The activation plan brought together paid, earned, shared and owned media to maintain Pointer’s visibility and build momentum over time.

Activity included:

• A routine influencer schedule to secure consistent third-party endorsements

• A reactive press office to keep Pointer visible in pet news

• Proactive PR campaign moments to elevate brand awareness among consumers

• A robust monthly social media content calendar to give Pointer’s channels consistency

• SEO-optimised blog posts to improve organic search visibility and drive non-branded traffic

• Strategic paid social activity designed to raise awareness and drive online engagement among a new generation of dog owners

The paid social strategy used behavioural insight, including emotional-led messaging and loss aversion, to encourage users to consider and purchase Pointer products. 

Campaign moments and retailer engagement

To create high-profile spikes in awareness, Leopard Co developed brand activation moments including the Pointer Treasure Hunt and Great British Bark Off Baking activity.

The Pointer Treasure Hunt was a free, interactive game for dogs, distributed to enclosed dog fields across the UK. Over a two-week period, dogs and owners were challenged to complete activities such as finding treats, completing tricks and tackling puzzle toys in return for Pointer products. Participants could then enter a prize draw by tagging Pointer on social media and using the hashtag #PointerTreasureHunt, generating user-generated content and increasing reach for the brand.

Leopard Co also used its pet influencer network to profile local Pointer stockists around Love Your Pet Day, strengthening retailer relationships and supporting brand visibility at stockist level.

Impact

Since beginning work with Pointer in 2024, Leopard Co has helped the brand build visibility, strengthen its reputation, and support commercial growth.

Key results include:

• Reached over 1.3 million followers of pet accounts through influencer marketing 

• Secured a media reach of over 16.2 million with more than 50 pieces of press coverage through a solely reactive press office, including Country Living, Horse & Hound, Good Housekeeping and Yours

• Grew Pointer’s social media following by 14% on Facebook and 35% on Instagram

• Found that 100% of engaged stockists said they looked at Pointer more favourably as a supplier following the retailer engagement campaign

• Reached over 233,000 people through paid social in the last three months alone

• Created over 1,200 product page views through paid social in the last three months alone

• Observed significant purchases through paid social activity

• Delivered a 35% increase in purchases during the Treasure Hunt campaign period in 2024

Thanks to the strength of these results, Leopard Co now works across a number of marketing disciplines for several Fold Hill Foods Ltd. brands.