Paw power; it's perhaps one of the most under-utilised yet influential forces in marketing. For there is no denying that dogs have a huge impact; both on their owners’ lifestyles and purchasing decisions. 

It’s an influence and love which MINI is putting at the forefront of its marketing strategy. The car brand has set itself an ambition to become the first dog-friendly car brand. With 1 in 3 UK families now owning a dog, and lockdown leading to an additional 3 million dogs making their way into consumers’ homes, it is an astute move. 

Created by the Brooklyn Brothers and underpinned by a partnership with the Dogs Trust, the campaign recognises the influence of our four-legged friends. 

In fact, the team went so far as to conduct the biggest known study into dog happiness by surveying over 1000 MINI owners in the UK. The study looked at ‘happy travel’ behaviour in dogs - such as being relaxed in the car, being eager to get into the car and having enough space to stand up, sit down or lie down comfortably. The research showed that 91% of dogs are happy to travel in a MINI.

David George, Director of MINI UK, explained: “Born from our entire team’s passion for dogs, we are so excited to be partnering with Dogs Trust, an organisation that is very close to my heart after we adopted our Lurcher, Harry from them three years ago. With more dogs in families now than ever before, we want to help make sure they travel safely and enjoy the ride."

He continued: “As our partnership continues we are really looking forward to working with Dogs Trust to help us support our MINI and dog-loving customers across the car buying and ownership journey, as we strive to become the UK’s first officially dog-friendly car retailer.”

To launch the partnership, The Brooklyn Brothers has created an upbeat film showing a group of dogs testing out a range of MINI models, and loving every second. 

Colette Healy, General Manager, Marketing & Product Management at MINI UK, added: “We have lots of dog owners in the MINI UK team and we’ve been putting the cars to the test with our furry friends already.”

Healy pointed to her own Labrador; who loves the boot space and low ride height of the MINI Clubman. She explains: “The split rear doors of the MINI Clubman mean I can open one side, clip his lead on and then pop the other door open for a controlled exit in the car park.  He is a big fan of getting as mucky as possible, so I can also confirm the boot mat protects the car with even the soggiest dog on board,”

Working alongside Dogs Trust canine behaviour experts, MINI is helping to educate people on best practice for happy canine car journeys, as well as supporting dog owners across the car buying and ownership journey. 

Dr Jenna Kiddie, Head of Canine Behaviour at Dogs Trust, added:  “As the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, we’re delighted to be part of MINI’s journey to becoming fully dog friendly. It’s really important that your car is right for the whole family, including your four-legged passenger, whose needs and safety requirements are slightly different to ours.”

As part of the campaign the team has created a ‘Dogs Hub’, packed with helpful resources and information for dog owners.

The campaign kicks off today (2nd August) and will run across social and digital media, cinema and radio.