Pet-Commerce, an award-winning digital first
Turning dogs into consumers is definitely one of the most unique requests that we have ever received, but one that excited us when we learned about it.
Petz, one of Brazil’s biggest pet retailers, wanted to put shopping decisions in the paws of dogs with Pet-Commerce, an online platform that lets them decide which products they want to play with and select them for their owners’ baskets.
"We picked through dozens of breeds through direct gaze into the camera, their ears pointing towards the camera, and the carefree, unsuspecting attitude of not shying away from the device – these are all signs that a dog enjoyed the product." Leonardo Ogata, Professional Dog trainer
Solution
The advertising industry has been abuzz with how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the way brands and consumers interact – but only for humans, not canines.
When Petz and its creative agency, Ogilvy, approached Hogarth Brazil with its Pet-Commerce idea, we were eager to get started.
The team used cutting-edge behavioural technology, such as facial recognition and artificial intelligence technologies, to create something never seen before – dogs able to shop online.
The project allows dogs to interact via a webcam with an AI algorithm, picking up behavioural responses to discover whether they liked a particular product. The technology has been created by Ogilvy Brazil and developed by D2G Tecnologia and Hogarth.
To make identification possible, the algorithm was loaded with thousands of pictures of dogs. “We picked through dozens of breeds through direct gaze into the camera, their ears pointing towards the camera, and the carefree, unsuspecting attitude of not shying away from the device – these are all signs that a dog enjoyed the product,” says Leonardo Ogata, a professional dog trainer who took part in the testing.
The result is a revolutionary new ecommerce service. Now, visitors to the Petz website can see a banner linking to Pet-Commerce. All they have to do is click and it begins. Customers simply hold their device over their dog's face so that the camera can pick up their responses. The Petz AI technology is then capable of measuring the level of interest in a given product.
“When Ogilvy came up with this idea, we were amazed because it fits in so well with what we stand for – that the bond between pet and owner can happen in many ways. We empathise with those who throw their pets birthday parties, or those who talk to their pets. The truth is that pet love has no bounds and Pet-Commerce just proves that point,” Sergio Zimerman, CEO of Petz.
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