🐶 Wait? Did Milk-Bone® Make a Movie?

PSOne, the Publicis Groupe Power of One solution for The J.M. Smucker Co., creatively led by BBH USA, debuted “Howl You Know,” a parody romantic comedy trailer for the famous doggie treats Milk-Bone^®.

“Howl You Know” is the next iteration of the brand's “More Dog” campaign that takes on pop culture trends and tropes to remind us that the bond with our dogs makes everything better, including dating shows, streetwear, and, most recently in collaboration with Jif Peanut Butter: perfume collabs.

As 71 percent of moviegoers purposefully go to the theater to see the trailers, Milk-Bone^® is MORE DOG-ifying one of the most appreciated parts of the movie-going experience.

“Howl You Know,” produced by Caviar, captures all the corny magic of your favorite rom-com flicks. The spot, directed by up-and-coming feature film director Sammi Cohen (“You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah”) and starring American actress and singer-songwriter Katelyn Tarver, is jam-packed with dog cameos and puns, boasts faux accolades from the fictional “G’Dog” and “Boops & Boops” film festivals, and is complete with credits that replace the cast and crew with messages of how great the film could be if it were a reality.

The faux trailer is just the start of the brand's dedication to bringing theatricality to the campaign. While the media buy includes TV, OLV, audio, social media and content partnerships, the faux trailer will be featured in-cinema as the trailer before the trailers, with in-cinema OOH to match. 

Social is where the Milk-Bone^® fabricated production company comes to life, with director's chair interviews of “Howl You Know” stars, red carpet footage of VI-Pup guests, and other :30 and :15-second spots parodying genre films that will launch exclusively online. The online series starts with “The Barkening.”

Watch “The Barkening” spot HERE
Watch “Ball” spot HERE
Watch “The Digging” spot HERE

“It’s been a joy to watch the ‘More Dog’ platform evolve into the full-fledged “dog-iverse” that we’ve built with Milk-Bone^®,” said Alan Wilson, SVP, Group Creative Director, BBH USA. “We're fortunate to have a client who embraces big, bold, playful ideas with us.  As humor makes a comeback in advertising, we're thrilled to bring “Howl You Know” to the big screen and beyond.”

“The only two places to find love that is truly unconditional, vibrant, and full of joy are in the bond between dogs and their human companions… and romantic comedies,” says Gail Hollander, Chief Marketing Officer, J.M. Smuckers Co. “Bringing these two forms of love together in this campaign is an enmeshment of humor, elation, and whimsy with Milk-Bone^® treats right at the heart of it all because true love starts with Milk-Bone^®.”

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