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Unapologetic Dog Food Branding: How We Helped Slop Dog Food Stand Out

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At Straydog, we’ve been busy creating bold, honest brands—and our latest collaboration is no exception. When Zeina approached us to develop a compelling identity for her new raw dog food brand, Slop Dog Food, we knew this project was destined to make waves.

What Sets Slop Apart?

Slop offers a simple, error-free way for dog owners in British Columbia to feed their pets healthy, locally-made food without the inflated prices or marketing hype. It’s not just another dog food brand; it’s a much-needed disruption in a crowded market.

The Market Opportunity

In BC, the cooked dog food scene is surprisingly wide open—no local competitors are currently serving this niche, with most options coming from Ontario. Slop’s strategy is clear: stand out by being radically honest, affordable, and authentic. Positioned against the premium wellness trend, Slop appeals to dog owners who are skeptical of slick marketing and expensive options, offering a straightforward, value-driven choice at around $6 per day.

How We Shaped the Brand

Our approach focused on crafting a visual and verbal identity that embodies Slop’s core values: authenticity, community, and simplicity.

  • Radically Local—”From BC, made in BC, for BC!” This message reinforces community pride and supports the local economy while minimizing environmental impact.
  • Brutally Honest—Embracing the “gross but great” attitude, the branding builds trust through transparency, inspired by brands like RXBar that succeed by keeping it real.
  • Deceptively Simple—Clear, uncomplicated messaging highlights the product’s gentle, no-fuss approach to feeding dogs.
  • Accessible & Affordable—Positioned as more affordable than competitors, Slop delivers outstanding value without sacrificing quality.

Design That Disrupts

In a pet food aisle filled with glossy, over-styled packaging, Slop’s “anti-design” aesthetic cuts through the noise with minimalism, honesty, and boldness. We used a striking neon color palette against a black and white foundation, creating a modern and slightly rebellious look that instantly grabs attention.

Typography and Logo

The typography choices reinforce Slop’s no-nonsense attitude—simple, straightforward fonts with a punch. The logo’s bold, confident lettering emphasizes reliability and trustworthiness, essential for building consumer confidence.

Ready to elevate your brand like Slop Dog Food?

If you’re looking to break through the clutter with a bold, authentic brand identity, we’re here to help. Our team specializes in creating visual stories that resonate and stand out. Reach out today to start your branding journey with us!

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ASCEND Branding – Provincial Health Services Authority, BC

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Straydog partnership with British Columbia’s Provincial Health Services Authority continues to grow with our branding and graphic design work for the “Advancement and Skill Centre for Engagement and Development” department at PHSA.

The build-out of the Medical Staff Development Office at PHSA includes OSWELL, The Office of Medical Staff Safety and Wellbeing and BEACON, a 24-month medical staff leadership program within PHSA Both branded by Straydog as well. We first started out with the branding and design for BEACON and then carried the design langauage over to both ASCEND and OSWELL.

The 3 logos represent guiding light, leadership and illumination…the guiding principles of the 3 programs and departments at PHSA.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR BRANDING PROCESS OR TO REQUEST A QUOTE, LEAP OVER TO OUR

BRANDING PAGE

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Schulz Construction Branding

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The wonderful team at Schulz Construction contacted Straydog Branding as they were looking for a Vancouver strategic branding agency to help them with the design of vehicle wraps and marketing collateral. Schulz is a small singe residential contractor based in North Vancouver, BC, looking to be seen as a bigger company while retaining the trust and integrity we’ve earned as a smaller company. Schulz’s reputation is based on trust and they wanted to ensure that all aspects of their brand identity reflects this positioning.

Our work for Schulz Construction involved the development of a comprehensive Brand Guidelines book, ensuring that the entire team at Schulz fully understands their brand positioning and would have the tools, files and knowledge to properly manage and utilize their brand going forward. We also design new vehicle wraps, site signage, business cards and associated marketing collateral and SWAG for Schulz.

Result:

The fantastic team at Schulz is now well equipped to continue on with their goal of building a strong, reliable family home construction company in Vancouver.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR BRANDING PROCESS OR TO REQUEST A QUOTE, LEAP OVER TO OUR

BRANDING PAGE

 

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Brand Awareness and Shopper Marketing

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The Marketing Funnel:

AWARENESS > CONSIDERATION > CONVERSION > LOYALTY

Back in the day, advertising ruled the day, but the digital world unlocked all sorts of innovation and all sorts of new ways of communicating and sharing great products and brands such that the industry became less reliant on broadcast media, which concurrently was becoming less and less effective with the fragmentation of media…the result was, what was an incredible means of communicating at the top of the funnel became less effective and more expensive.

Today, far more money is spent on “Shopper Marketing” (Shopper marketing is a discipline that focuses on improving the shopping experience for consumers in order to drive sales both in-store and online at the point-of-purchase).

This marketing discipline is different from traditional advertising and promotion. Shopper marketers focus on making last-minute appeals to shoppers at the very moment they’re considering buying, while other forms of marketing try to increase overall awareness and affinity for a brand or product.

People love to speculate that brick-and-mortar stores are dying. In an effort to keep shoppers going to stores, shopper marketing is a key strategy used by many companies that sell consumer packaged goods.

What is Shopper Marketing?

Shopper marketing involves the strategic design and planning that influences how consumers interact with products in a store. Elements like store layout, scent, and lighting are intentionally crafted to encourage purchases.

Shopper marketers study how people behave while shopping to understand their decision-making processes.

For instance, when you find yourself in the coffee aisle, faced with various brands, choosing one can be tricky, especially when they’re similar in price. What leads you to pick a particular coffee? This is where shopper marketers employ a range of strategies.

Shopper Marketing Strategies

How does shopper marketing enhance both sales and brand recognition? Effective campaigns utilize multiple tactics to connect with shoppers throughout their buying journey.

Displays

Strategic signage and displays can draw shoppers in and simplify their shopping experience. Eye-catching end-cap displays, for example, help shoppers avoid getting lost in a crowded aisle.

Marketers can install end-of-aisle, freestanding, or product containers to display items. They can also use interactive, animated, or static digital displays. These are all branded and designed to draw the eye and separate the product from competitor alternatives.

Displays are a great opportunity to improve brand recognition and build loyalty.

Demos

Many shoppers, including myself, enjoy in-store demos. Costco excels in this area, offering daily tastings right next to the products for sale. This not only alleviates the fear of buyer’s remorse but also generates excitement, often leading to a purchase.

Ambiance

Grocery stores use music not just for atmosphere; research shows that 90% of shoppers are more likely to return to a store that enhances the shopping experience with music, visuals, and appealing scents. From the coffee aisle to the bakery, these sensory elements draw customers in and drive sales. Shopper marketing initiatives can help integrate these experiences to keep customers coming back.

Embrace Their Inner-Child with Contests, Sweepstakes, and Promotions

Injecting fun and urgency into the buying journey is a great way to improve the customer experience. Contests, sweepstakes, and promotions create opportunities for people to get something in exchange for engaging with a brand. And brands are likely to get something back in return – a third of entrants sign up to receive further marketing communications.

Social Media Marketing

With smartphones always in hand, shoppers frequently browse social media while in stores. Implementing geo-targeted ads that appear in users’ feeds when they’re nearby can effectively engage potential customers.

Shopper marketing is a specialized approach that influences consumers right at the point of purchase. Without it, shoppers might go through the motions without making thoughtful choices, causing businesses to lose out on sales opportunities. By adopting a shopper marketing strategy, you can effectively engage potential customers and turn them into enthusiastic advocates for your brand.

To learn more about Straydog’s Social Media services, leap over to our Social Media Marketing page.

Why is Shopper Marketing Effective?

  • It’s data-driven. Shopper marketing strategies use accurate and relevant customer data so marketers can understand shopper behavior, preferences, and habits. This lets them craft campaigns that deliver the right message at the right time and connect with their target audience. But just 26% of global marketers are fully confident in their audience data. For shopper marketing to be effective, it’s crucial to have tools that can capture and store data safely as well as provide analytics.
  • It influences customers at the right time. When customers are shopping online or in-store, it’s easier to capture and hold their attention. Nearly 80% of shoppers will go to a store to buy when they have an item they need or want immediately. If they see the right campaign, offer, or competition while shopping, they’ll engage with it and will be more likely to make a purchase.
  • It adds a personal touch. Marketers can personalize shopper marketing to customer preferences. Taking promotions as an example, if basket data shows a customer buys diapers and formula, you could offer a discount on baby-related products. 87% of shoppers say knowing they got a good deal is important to them when deciding which brand or retailer to buy from. Personalized offers are a great way to build brand trust and increase perceived value.
  • It’s omnichannel. Shopper marketing tactics span the digital and physical so you can meet shoppers where they are. Send a promotion through a retail app, email about an event, create an in-store display to showcase a new product, and more. Make the most of every channel and ensure your messages are consistent so customers get a seamless experience.

Some of the best Shopper Marketing Campaigns:

  1. Naked Juice – Live Naked campaign

Naked activated an in-store element of their Live Naked campaign to drive new and repeat purchases of their juice at the point of sale. They attached a coupon to every bottle, inviting customers to show the brand how they use the product. Harnessing user-generated content showed their customers authentically enjoying their products and encouraged continued participation and purchases. It connected to their existing customer base, attracted new customers, and sparked interest in new flavors.

The campaign resulted in a 26% sales lift year on year.

Naked Juice Shopper Marketing

 

  1. Coca-Cola’s “Share-a-Coke campaign

It first launched in Australia back in 2011. That summer, consumers bought more than 250 million named bottles and cans in a nation of less than 23 million. Being able to sip a drink with their name on it made Coke even tastier, and the campaign has since launched in more than 70 countries. It truly connected with the hearts and minds of consumers.

Coca-Cola Share-a-Coke Campaign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Starbucks’ Payment App

Starbucks developed an app that customers can use in-store or online. The app:

  • Allows users to order ahead, pay, and browse the menu
  • Gives users points every time they buy which they can redeem against future cups of coffee
  • Sends users notifications when new products are released
  • Invites users to special events and sends customized ads with deals relevant to their location

In 2018 it was the most popular mobile payment app. In 2018, 23.4 million people used the Starbucks app to make a point-of-sale purchase. Starbucks also use receipt validation to reward their customers.

Starbucks Payment App

How to build a Shopper Marketing campaign:

To succeed at CPG shopper marketing, you first need to succeed at capturing, storing, and understanding your customer data. Once you understand your customer behavior and preferences, start to build out a shopper marketing strategy tailored to their needs.

Don’t do everything at once – pick a couple of methods to engage shoppers online and in-store, and measure your results. And use a shopper marketing tool (and learn more about shopper marketing agencies) to support your efforts. Choosing the right solution can help you to manage and automate your shopper marketing campaigns so it’s easier to deliver seamless and engaging customer experiences.

So, how do you build awareness?

Traditional methods like B2B marketing, conferences, and advertising for small businesses are either ineffective or too costly now.

Resources are shifting from marketing to product development. Ultimately, if you can create a product that’s ten times better, people will talk about it. Therefore, the top talent in a company should concentrate on improving the product, rather than solely on marketing efforts as they did in the past.

Think of Starlink, truly a revolutionary product that is changing the world: Disruptive, scalable and relevant. Consumers have been flocking to this product in massive numbers, because it is game-changing…..More on Starlink in later.

 

 

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The importance of a great brand name

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Do you require Brand naming services?

A great brand name is more than just a label—it’s a strategic asset that can significantly influence a company’s success. It serves as the first point of interaction between a business and its potential customers, making it crucial for creating a strong first impression. A memorable and impactful brand name helps establish a unique identity in a crowded market, differentiating a business from its competitors. This distinctiveness can foster recognition and recall, making it easier for customers to remember and engage with the brand. Essentially, a well-crafted brand name lays the foundation for a brand’s entire identity and reputation.

Beyond initial impressions, a great brand name also contributes to building trust and credibility. It should evoke positive associations and align with the values and promises of the business. When a name resonates with its target audience and reflects the company’s mission, it enhances the overall perception of the brand. A name that conveys professionalism, reliability, and quality can reinforce consumer confidence and encourage brand loyalty. This trust is invaluable, as it often translates into repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations, further cementing the brand’s presence in the market.

Moreover, a strong brand name has significant implications for marketing and branding strategies. It provides a foundation for creating compelling narratives and consistent messaging across various channels. A name that is both distinctive and relevant allows for the development of a cohesive brand story that can be effectively communicated through advertising, social media, and other promotional activities. This consistency helps to build a unified brand image, which is essential for attracting and retaining customers. In essence, a great brand name supports the creation of a robust marketing strategy that can drive growth and establish a lasting connection with the audience.

Finally, a well-chosen brand name can offer long-term value and adaptability. As businesses evolve and expand, having a versatile name that can grow with the company ensures that branding efforts remain relevant and effective. A great brand name is not only memorable but also flexible enough to accommodate changes in product lines, markets, or business models. This adaptability helps prevent the need for frequent rebranding, which can be costly and disruptive. By investing in a thoughtful and strategic brand name, businesses set themselves up for sustained success and ongoing relevance in their industry.

Over the past 18 years, our creative team here at Straydog have worked with many clients on the their strategic brand naming, branding and website needs. Here are just a few examples:

  • SWITCHBC:

    Challenge

    In late 2021, the British Columbia Government, through representatives from the Ministry of Health, contacted Straydog Branding to help them with their strategic branding requirements. The group was established to provide the organizational basis for an innovative and collaborative initiative to influence, invest in and support province-wide initiatives to improve health care worker health and safety in British Columbia.

    The Vision of the Society is to support one system of safety and well-being for health care teams across BC. The Society started out as:

    BC Health Care Occupational Health and Safety Society

    The name was a handful and didn’t lend itself well to being memorable, and easy to say or remember. It was clear at the outset, that we needed to develop a new name for the Society. Naming is always a challenge, but in this case, especially challenging as our team at Straydog would have develop name options that would support many ideas and brand elements, including: the brand values, vision, purpose. Plus, we were going to have to present to and get buy-in from a wide variety of stakeholders in the process, including the head of BC Nurses Union, Worksafe BC, Health Employers Association of BC, Doctors of BC, representatives from the Health Authorities in BC as well as the BCGEU. Certainly this was going to be no easy task, without risks of blowing the budget and ending up at a stalemate.

    We looked at many new name options, some a little more creative & empty vessel type names, that could work very well in brand play, brand name recognition as well being able to meet the name criteria outlined in our discovery sessions, however, we knew these types of names would be harder for us to gain wide consensus from the client….considering the client and the stakeholders, taking a conservative approach was always going the driver.

    However, we knew that an approach of being too conservative was just too easy, yet a conservative approach would not help the society achieve it’s lofty goals. We needed the society members and all of it’s stakeholders to be excited about their mandate and having a great name and outstanding brand identity would make their efforts just a little bit easier.

    SWITCH BC turned about the be the best name option. It’s acronym is: Safety, Well-being, Innovation, Training & Collaboration in Healthcare, will perfectly supporting the society’s focus. And the word SWITCH conjures up a move in a new direction, doing something different, switching the way we think, being Switched on. The name also invites curiosity, and refers to action and movement…critically, what the society must be able to encourage and foster from all of the stakeholders in order to bring real improvement, collaboration and caring to the BC Health care network.

  • W!LD Ocean Fish:

    The Goal:

    To shake up the market by bringing awareness to the industry for improved methods of sustainable fishing practices. Owner and marine biologist turned entrepreneur, Zachary Semeniuk’s Vancouver-based line of wild Ocean Wise frozen fish needed brand naming, branding and package design services that would convey his personal passion for fish freshness, ocean sustainability and fair trade.

    Our challenge was to create a name, a brand, packaging, collateral and a website in a very limited timeframe of six months. All of this while ensuring the proper delivery of the brand’s message.

    award-winning-Vancouver-Package-Design-Wild-Ocean-Fish-Coho-Salmon-Graphic-Design

 

  • The Press Room:

    The Goal:

    The team from The Press Room came to Straydog in late 2018 to help them in their brand naming, brand identity for their new Coffee House.

    The original name they had was Roastoast, and after we conducted a thorough Brand Discovery to determine their objectives and brand positioning, we concluded that the Roastoast name was not going to work for them. So we then embarked on an exhaustive Name Development exercise, that resulted in the selection of the new name: The Press Room.

 

  • The Raw Truth:

    The Goal:

    When Bonnie Judd approached us in search of a brand for her raw dog food, our ears immediately perked up! Bonnie is an animal trainer for the film industry working on such films as as Air Bud and the X-files. Her passion for healthy pets at the top of their game was instantly obvious.

    After making and selling an un-branded raw food to clients, friends and small shops for over 20 years, Bonnie saw the need to get the product into the paws of more people! She saw a gap in the market for pathogen-free, certified and safe raw dog food, and needed a branding agency to provide her with brand naming, and the development of an impactful brand and package design that would convey her message and her passion. The Raw Truth provides safe & nutritionally balanced pet food For people who want their pets to live long, happy lives, in an era where pets are family.
    Vancouver-branding-straydog-stationery-dog-food

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR BRAND NAMING PROCESS OR TO REQUEST A QUOTE, LEAP OVER TO OUR

BRAND NAMING PAGE

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Driving Sales and building Brand loyalty with QR Codes on packaging

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QR code marketing is about placing a QR code on food packaging and labels, and it’s happening everywhere. The market and business these days are facing tight and robust competition every now and then. There is a new brand entering the market with all fresh innovations, ideas, better marketing tactics, and long-term customer loyalty plans. As a matter of fact, this robust competition and awareness of the customers have made it impossible for conventional and rigid business ideas. Those who don’t opt for the latest techniques are extracted from the market in a second. Therefore businesses are making sure they are adapting to the change; an example of this change is the use of QR codes as food packaging part. Today, QR codes are integrated everywhere, including QR codes for food products, tickets, banners, lottery tickets, table tents, flyers, etc.

The food industry or FMCG food industry is also one of the fastest-growing markets, thereby people involved in this business must think beyond regular techniques such as mainstream advertising.

QR Codes for smart packaging revolutionizes consumer interactions with your brand. It reinforces trust and improves brand perception significantly. Businesses should leverage QR Codes on product packaging to cater to their mobile-first audience and foster long-term brand loyalty.

Most Fortune 500 brands such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Amazon have already incorporated QR Codes on their packaging, and indeed witnessed a massive surge in sales, ROI, and achieving KPIs.

With the increase in smartphone usage and integration of QR Code readers in all the latest smartphones, smart packaging is the future in the packaging industry.

What is a packaging QR Code?

A packaging QR Code is one that communicates relevant product details with consumers to help them learn more about the product, its benefits, and its uses. Packaging QR Codes serve as a valuable medium for sharing all kinds of information with consumers at every stage of the consumer buying journey.

How global brands are killing it with QR Codes on packaging

According to research from Smithers Pira, The Future of Active & Intelligent Packaging by 2023, the smart packaging market is forecasted to grow at an annual average rate of 5.9%, reaching $7.56 billion by 2023.

Smart packaging and QR Code marketing has yielded a number of benefits for several factors.

1. How Hershey’s nailed product transparency using smart QR Codes on packaging

QR Codes for smart packaging serve as the benchmark for fighting counterfeit and ensuring the authenticity of the product.

How to implement product transparency with QR Codes

In Europe and Brazil, SIG observed that consumers were particularly interested in production and expiry dates, as they wanted to learn about the product’s journey and quality. The usage of QR Codes is massive in Asian countries, especially China and Japan.

In the Asian Pacific region, Korea and Japan, including China have implemented QR Codes as a means of using packaging to serve as a medium of translator between the physical and digital worlds. According to Mintel, there was an increase of 83% in the usage of QR Codes in the APAC region between 2014-2018, attributing to the large-scale usage and benefits of QR Codes on smart packaging.

QR Codes on smart packaging and product labels instill trust in consumers letting them know about their product origin, steps involved in its manufacturing, logistics, and ingredients.

Hershey’s unveiled SmartLabel QR Codes on its Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate to promote ingredient transparency and provide quick access to brand representatives. The inclusion of QR Codes on the product packaging was not just to offer relevant information but also to alert their consumers of any allergens or artificial sweeteners present. All consumers had to do was scan the QR Code and they were redirected to a landing page to read a glossary of ingredients, view nutrition facts or allergens and directly contact the brand with any further queries.

2. Improve customer engagement like Coca-Cola with QR Codes on product packaging

Product packaging that comes with QR Codes is an excellent method to increase and improve customer engagement drastically.

How to boost engagement with QR Codes for products

QR Codes on custom products can help retailers and brands stay connected with their customers during the entire purchase cycle, including post-purchase. With QR Codes being embedded into the product packaging, customers can scan them to –

  1. Know about the product’s origin, and contents
  2. Participate in any of the customer retention programs such as loyalty programs and coupons and discounts
  3. Alerts about product usage such as product expiration dates, recipes, and videos related to the product
  4. Closest points of purchase in case of repurchasing

Coca-Cola deploys smart QR Codes to strengthen customer engagement.

This QR Code was used to connect consumers with a UEFA tournament, sponsored, in part by Coca-Cola. The dynamic QR Code was used on their products with new content that provided special experiences to customers every time they scanned the QR Codes, thus promoting customer engagement.

QR Code marketing, QR Code on packaging, package design

3. Data collection and insights with dynamic QR Codes for products

Retailers of product packages are best advised to host dynamic QR Codes because of their versatility and ability to provide the best insights.

Dynamic QR Codes on product packaging can help brands and retailers to analyze the number of customers that have scanned the QR Codes to track and analyze them. Smart packaging that has dynamic QR Codes can help brands to track and monitor purchased goods with their respective apps to convert important business opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Packaging QR Codes can also be leveraged to identify supply chain inefficiencies, reduce costs and errors, improve product performance thus increasing profit margins. QR Codes for products are crucial to help report product loss and reduce product theft. UPS (United Postal Service) estimated that 1% of their shipments are either lost or damaged.

The integration of QR Codes on a product’s packaging could potentially reduce the overall theft rate and damage rate significantly.

QR Code marketing, QR Code on packaging, package design

4. How Huhtamaki UK combated food wastage with QR Codes on product packaging

According to the United Nations, roughly one-third (over 1.3 billion metric tons) of all food products for human consumption is lost or wasted annually. This is mainly because of poor practices and the storage and logistics of goods. The giant wastage of food adds up to the significant financial burden for the food industry plus, is a major environmental hazard due to its packaging and food supply practices.

However, the designing and manufacturing of product packaging can help fight food wastage rather strongly. QR Code marketing on product packaging can serve as a powerful tool to prevent food from going to waste. Encourage customers to scan the QR Code to set up reminders on their smartphones about the product, different ways to use the food, expiration dates, and disposal method in case of expiration.

Huhtamaki UK’s move towards recycling with smart QR Codes

QR Code marketing, QR Code on packaging, package design

Huhtamaki launched an initiative to increase cups recycling in the UK.

Single wall hot cups and paper vending cups are placed with smart QR Codes on them to redirect the users to a landing page containing the details of the growing numbers of cup recycling sites and schemes across the UK.

Becci Eplett, marketing manager for Huhtamaki UK says, “The cup aesthetic is a vital contributor to the overall drinking experience but we also wanted to do more to help communicate the recycling message.”

The QR Code on the cups really helped them list out all the recycling schemes in the UK in an effort to promote conscious living.

 

 

5. Adhering to regulatory standards and compliance with QR Codes for product identification

A number of countries including the US have strict regulations on maintaining and adhering to the food standards in order to be able to serve the consumers authentic products.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) needs consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) to be able to recognize the immediate supplier and recipients of a product, owing to the responsibility to the manufacturers to monitor the path of the products.

Track-and-trace via QR Codes or RFID through product packaging can help retailers scan and retrieve data for all the inventory items instantly across the entire value chain.

This method also decreases recalls as well as minimize the impact by pinpointing the exact location of any contamination that has occurred by easily locating the products.

4 ways to build brand loyalty & boost sales and increase customer retention using QR Codes on product packaging

These aforementioned methods are usually how brands leverage QR Codes on their packaging. Apart from these, incorporating the following actions can also impact a brand’s ROI and boost sales –

1. Increase sales with QR Codes for product information:

QR Code marketing, QR Code on packaging, package design, ethical bean coffee

QR Code marketing on smart packaging and product labels serve as a terrific arena to increase sales. By placing QR Codes on labels, they can become an integral part of the product. Or, in other words, an upbeat marketing strategy to increase sales and engage customers.

Customers in this era want to know what goes inside their products, and the demand for transparency is more than ever. Thus, the more information a brand provides, the customer will purchase the product with more conviction, and the faster the decision will be made.

For instance, let’s say, add a QR Code on wheatgrass formula to instruct the customer about the product usage, best practices, and directions to use. This information will not only be useful but will also encourage the customer to spread the word and push them to repurchase.

Brands are using the Zapier platform with dynamic QR Codes to automate trigger notifications, such as tracking every time a user scans one of their QR Codes – this helps to determine a Campaigns effectiveness.Once you integrate your account with Zapier, you can set certain triggers upon scanning the QR Code on the product package. Zapier automatically sends out predefined messages to the customer as soon as scanning the product as set by the owner.

By implementing these practices, QR Codes indirectly and directly increase the interaction level between the brand and the customer and seamlessly connects with each other.

2. Loyalty programs using QR Code Marketing on product packaging

package design

65% of a company’s business is initiated from the existing customers. Not just that, by increasing customer retention even by 5% boosts profits by 25%-95%. Straydog strongly believes that QR Codes for smart packaging can help brands and businesses boost sales and retain customers by implementing loyalty programs.

QR Codes for loyalty programs can help identify a customer, their likes, requirements, and pain points thus, increasing sales and generating a positive ROI.

Use QR Code marketing on food packaging, or any kind of product package to encourage customers to scan them. Link the QR Code to a landing page that is dedicated to loyalty programs such as coupon codes, discounts, or free product trials even.

Let’s say a customer scans a can of soda and the landing page alerts the customer that they have received bonus points, with which they get another can free.

This approach works wonders with customers. 67% of loyal customers spend more than fresh customers.

Plus, it costs 5-25X to invest in a new customer. QR Codes for smart packaging to boost customer retention and increase loyalty serves as a powerful tool.  In addition to that, QR Codes can also be used to collect reviews and feedback from the customers to improve their product quality.

Adding QR Codes for feedback forms instead of traditional paper forms save a lot of time, minimizing commotion, and thus amplifying the customer experience. QR Codes for feedback and reviews add a lot of value to the brand perception, helping them to personalize and serve better.

3. Connect customers with social media channels

QR Code marketing, QR Code on packaging, package design

Whether your aesthetically pleasing products define Instagramable or your social media team is famous for their smart Twitter replies, social media is going to be an unavoidable part of your company’s marketing and brand strategy.

QR Code marketing allows you to link your customers directly with all of your channels — all it takes is a simple scan for them to snap and share your product.

Connecting your customers directly with your socials has a huge range of benefits.

It does everything from boosting your brand awareness to providing a point of customer care contact.

 

 

 

4. Ensure brand transparency and to establish authenticity

Purchasing behaviour has shown that consumers prefer brands that are transparent about their authenticity, and product claims such as natural, organic, GMO free, fair-trade etc… This builds trust and brand loyalty. Brands are using QR code marketing efforts that direct consumers to a page on their website informing them of their brand practices and product promises.

QR Code marketing, QR Code on packaging, package design

 

 

 

 

 

Want to create QR Codes for your product packaging? Give us a call or send us a note.

AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR PACKAGE DESIGN PROCESS AND TO REQUEST A QUOTE, LEAP OVER TO OUR

PACKAGE DESIGN PAGE

 

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Take Action now! More Government funding is available: IRAP

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The National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) is a Canadian government funding program designed to accelerate the research and development projects of Canadian innovators. Government funding for small businesses is available for Canadian businesses that are developing and implementing process improvements are the primary targets to receive research funding contributions through NRC IRAP, however, large-scale technology adoption projects that lead to new capabilities are also considered.

Eligible Activities

Development of innovative products, processes, and services. Projects must focus on solving an internal technical challenge by adopting/developing technology & processing enhancements.

IRAP funds are intended to be used for a specific project or service, not just any expenses related to ongoing operations, and can include:

  • Acquiring or adopting technology, ie: ERP’s, CRM’,s new manufacturing equipment,
  • Marketing and commercialization support
  • Research and business development
  • Offsetting project costs
  • Prototyping and product development
  • Testing
  • Wages and training

The Government funding for small business subprogram provides grants of up to $50K in order to help other firms to fund their research and development (R&D) projects or commercializing on technology projects.

IRAP ARP grants focus on solving an internal technical challenge with a focus on adopting technology and processing enhancements. These projects are often focused on early-stage research or development activities, and the exploration of new technology-based market opportunities. Activities include assessment and development of technologies to improve internal processes, feasibility studies and assessments for new services/product ventures, and prototype engineering activities.

  • Funding Contribution: Maximum $50k research and development grant (supporting up to 80% of direct labour and 50% sub-contractor costs).
  • Eligibility: 1-500 people on payroll and incorporated for at least 2 years.
  • Timeline: Additional funding is released April 1 of each year. Applicants must complete projects within one year (spanning April 1 to March 31), applications should be completed in Q1.

Eligible Applicants

Incorporated, profit-oriented small or medium-sized business with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees and plan to pursue growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, services, or processes in Canada.

Amount of Funding

Contributions of up to 60-80% of internal technical labour and subcontractor expenses towards a specified innovation project.

Contact us NOW. We can lead you through the application process to receive funding to cover many business activities. Much of the funding could cover our fees for:

  • Go-to Market strategy and plans
  • Strategic Branding and package design services
  • Digital Marketing plans, including online marketing, social media marketing
  • Support for new website features and functionalities

You may also want to learn about other funding programs available, go here.

 

straydogbrand

CDAP – Access up to $100,000 in government funding to transform your business technology

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What is CDAP?

The Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is offering $4 billion in total funding to help small to medium sized businesses transform their Business technology and thrive in the digital world.

Through CDAP, you can transform your business potential by accessing up to $15,000 in government funding to receive a strategic Digital Adoption Plan built specifically to suit your business objectives and digital needs.

Is your business eligible?

If your business checks all these items, you are an eligible applicant:

  1. For Profit or Privately owned business,
  2. Minimum of $500,000 in annual sales in one of the previous 3 tax years,
  3. 1 – 499 full-time employees,
  4. Incorporated federally or provincially, or a Canadian resident sole proprietor.

What you’ll gain?

Leverage the Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) program to introduce digital solutions that will:

  • Make your business run more efficiently.
  • Prepare your business to scale
  • Prepare your business for succession or sale.

Your custom Digital Adoption Plan will be tailored for your specific business. We will review your digital business practices and identify opportunities for improvement.

The Process

1.  CDAP Orientation

Schedule a CDAP Info Session – Contact us today to schedule a Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) information session. We will work with our Digital Advisors consultants to review the CDAP process and how to apply for funding.

Meet your Digital Advisor – We will connect you with our Digital Advisor to kick off the project and guide you through the process.

Apply for the Grant – Apply for the CDAP grant here. If you need guidance through the application process, please let your Digital Advisor know.

2. Build your Digital Adoption Plan

Digital Assessment – We conduct a digital assessment to review the digital maturity of your organization and create a roadmap proposing digital solutions to incorporate into the plan.

Develop Strategy – We will meet with you to learn about your business, review your current technology, and determine your digital needs. From there we will create a Digital Adoption Plan with recommendations and solutions for your business’s digital transformation.

Submit Plan for Grant funding – After the plan is submitted and approved by the federal government, you will receive your grant funding.

3. Implement digital solutions

Apply for BDC loan – After submitting your plan, you will be eligible to apply for a loan up to $100,000 at 0% interest for five years through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to implement the solution(s) from your Digital Adoption Plan.

Digital Transformation – Project Examples

Digital Marketing:

Improve or create your Digital Marketing systems to boost reach and engage a wider audience, build brand awareness, generate leads, and drive conversations, increasing online visibility, customer base, and revenue.

Customer Relationship Management:

Implement a customer relationship management (CRM) software system to centralize and improve customer interactions and data to increase sales and customer satisfaction while streamlining sales processes.

Standard Operating Procedures:

Create digital standard operating procedures (SOPs) establishing clear, repeatable processes and guidelines to improve efficiency, consistency, and accountability, enhancing overall performance and quality.

Order Management:

Implement digital Order Management Systems (OMS) automating and streamlining the order process, improving inventory management, reducing errors, and increasing customer satisfaction, thereby improving operational efficiency and sales.

Automated Machinery:

Introduce automated machinery that improves the efficiency, consistency, safety, and data collection of a manufacturing facility, resulting in higher quality outcomes. By reducing the risk of errors or defects, improving production efficiency, and lowering labor costs, automated machinery can ultimately increase profitability for the manufacturing facility.

Digital Field Data Collection:

Customized mobile apps can streamline the process of collecting information from the field, allowing for real-time communication with the office, reducing mistakes and delays, and improving the accuracy and reliability of the data collected. This can lead to more efficient decision-making and better outcomes for the organization.

CONTACT US TODAY TO GET STARTED.

straydogbrand

My Entrepreneurial Journey

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Starting you own business and embarking on a entrepreneurial journey can be a daunting task. At some point in your career, you may have thought about “going-it-alone” but the fear of transition, or the lack of the “security” that being an entreprenuer provides, can be considered too risky, so you stick with what you know. But really, what is the true value of the security that your job provides. Yes, maybe it’s the medical benefits (those are true benefits for sure), or maybe it’s the pension (if you have one), or the RRSP matching (that only some companies provide, and that only some employees actually take advantage of). But all of these benefits and security can sometimes be more of a ball-and-chain that are holding you back from your true potential and happiness. They were for me.

Before I set out on my own, I had a great job. I travelled a lot for business (which is also often thought of as a perk…more on this later), was paid well, had a great medical plan with extended benefits, had a comfortable car allowance and gas card, earned some nice bonuses every year, and had a good RRSP matching program and was afforded the flexibility of working from home, with my boss over 3,000 miles away. I often said that I had the best of both worlds….the security of being employed, with the autonomy and flexibility of working my own territory, from home….which was somewhat like running your own show.

Well….let me tell you how that security went. The year was 2008, and if you remember, that was the year of the big crash. At the time, I had been 9 years working for this large multi-national consumer goods company, and I was 44 years old. I was comfortable and well-paid and figured that I could work another 15 or so years and then retire with a handsome nest egg and enjoy my retirement years bouncing back between someplace warm for the winter and Vancouver in warmer months.

With the economy crashing down around us all, each morning I would get up and log-in my email to begin the day. And each day, there would be more notifications from Corporate about the most recent layoffs. This had been going on for months now, but I wasn’t too concerned. You see, there were just 2 of us in Western Canada that managed the entire west, all channels and all product lines. It was a lot of work for 2 people, so in my mind, I figured there was no way they’d be paying off either of us. How could they cut the resources for the sales team? Marketing maybe, or maybe some HR or accounting personnel, but not from sales. Much of our product lines were not considered luxury items, in fact, they were more staple like items and during the slow-down in the economy, our sales were not suffering…so ya, I figured I’d be safe. In the very least, if they were to layoff either of us, I figured it would be the other guy. He was 10 years older and in my mind, they could more easily package him off than me. Well…I was wrong…very wrong!

On a Tuesday AM, 6-months into the corporate re-structuring and layoff efforts, my boss from Toronto called me on the phone. He said:

“Rob, I guess you’ve heard about the latest round of layoffs coming? Well…you’ve been a great employee these past 9 years, but we need to let you go. Thank you for your time, and now I’ll put you over to the HR department and they’ll let you know the next steps.”

That was it! Nine years of my life put into this company and a lousy 50 words is all my boss could conjure up to say thanks. And he did it over the phone…he didn’t have the decency to fly out to Vancouver and do it in person. I was shocked, but I was also mad, really mad. And not to mention…..devastated. What would I do now? I was in my mid 40’s and now without a job. I had a mortgage, kids in elementary school, and ex-wife and just into a new relationship and supporting her while she was attending post-secondary trying to improve her job skills. My bills were large and only going to get larger as the kids grew and started to attend university.

I must mention that I did get a severance package, which was a blessing and of course, required by law, so this did provide me with some income for the next 9 months. But I knew the next 9 months would go by fast so I had to act fast and figure out what I was going to do next. At the time, I didn’t think about starting my own business. I had never been self-employed, and didn’t figure I really had that entreneurial spirit. So I updated my resume and jumped into the painful tasks of searching for another job. I attended some career placement courses, contacted many head-hunters, local and distant and started to apply to any job that was remotely in my wheel house for experience and remuneration. Well…the shock had only began. My old employer wasn’t the only company in layoff mode, so was just about every other company out there. No one was hiring…and if they were, it was only for positions far junior to what I was last doing and at far less pay. Talk about depressing. I knew this 9 months would slide by quickly, so the pressure started to mount quickly: I’d better find a job…. fast!

And this is where things started to take shape. Once the shock wore off and the depression became manageable, I started to give it some serious thought about HOW I could turn my 22+ years of Consumer Package Goods industry experience into a some consulting work. I had worked for some of the biggest companies and brands in the industry over the years…Coca-Cola, PowerAde, Kraft, Nabisco, General Foods, Maxwell House, Kleenex, Huggies, Coleman, Sunbeam, Oster, so I knew a thing or two about what makes great brands great. I possessed a wealth of knowledge about the power of retail packaging, product placement at retail, sales and marketing strategy, managing large corporate accounts, budgeting and developing annual sales plans, was comfortable giving presentations to C-level executives and was always great at listening…..the most important skill for any great salesman. But I didn’t really think of myself as a salesman..I was much more, and I knew that I could help other brands and companies with their marketing efforts at retail. This is where my entreprenuerial journey began. So I began to reach out to many of the contacts I had in the field to offer my skills and experience to help them build their sales and marketing strategies and to get their products placed at retail. I also started to go attend many trade shows in the area to meet with smaller companies and brands that were looking to make the jump from local selling efforts to more regional, national and multi-national. If you’ve ever attended a food and beverage trade show or even a local farmers market, there are always hundreds of local producers, with some very amazing products. But as far as branding and marketing goes, well, that’s not their specialty….so this is where I saw an opportunity. I’d be their consultant or agent and be their ticket to the big time.

My partner at the time was just finishing up her graphic design schooling so I had her design a business card for me and that’s where Straydog started. I started out as Straydog Marketing, as my initial focus was in helping companies and brands build marketing plans and get listed at the major channel and retailers such as; Costco, London Drugs, Westfair, WalMart, Shoppers Drug Mark etc. I had contacts and knowledge at all of these retailers.

This initial; entrepeneurial journey lasted about a year. But it wasn’t long before I realized that the companies and brands that I was working with, needed help before the marketing stage. They may have had great products, but their branding and packaging sucked! Most had begun on a shoe-string budget, spent little effort and money on their branding, business or product name and their packaging was generally just terrible. Despite many of my efforts to help in the marketing side, they would always be handicapped by poor branding, messaging, positioning, packaging and often, an uninspiring, boring name. They were trying to compete against companies and brands that get it, that understand the value of branding and great design.

This is where the entrepreneurial journey took a slight turn and my company became Straydog Branding. Why the name? How did the name come about? That’s a question I get asked often. And when your mission is to help companies and brands with their name, brand and messaging, it sure helps when your company has a great name, story and branding.

You see……many of the companies I was working were reminded me of a straydog. They were wandering the streets looking for a good home, for someone to love them. And that’s what I was going to do. We would take these companies, give them a great name, brand them well and turn them into something people could easily love. And that’s how I came up with the name: Straydog, and the tagline: ….finding good homes for your ideas.

PS: Remember I was going to get back to the topic of the benefit of corporate travel! At the time, I really thought it was great. I’d get to travel to all of these wonderful places in Canada and beyond, on someone else’s bill, stay in nice hotels, eat great meals, entertain clients, see sporting events & concerts, go fishing, skeet shooting, skiing…you name it. Well, ya, maybe those were fun, but the costs were great too. I was spending days and weeks away from family and friends, missed many of my kids events, worked long hours while away (weekends and evenings) without getting paid anymore, and had to go to some very cold places in the winter in Canada. Nothing against Winnipeg or Saskatoon, but I’d rather not be there in January. Vancouver was much preferable in January than many other places in Canada .

Oh and how about the security that a full-time, well paying job provides? I thought my job was secure…I’d be there until retirement. Well ,any job is about as secure as the company and the people you’re working for. You’re secure until someone else decides you’re not. When you’re self-employed…your security depends on you and no one else. The more you put in, the more you get out, it’s as simple as that. I still have the flexibility of working from home, but now I’m the boss, I have no one else that is deciding to send me to Winnipeg in December. If I travel now, it’s purely for pleasure and if it’s in the winter, it’s to someplace warm and tropical!! I’d say that’s a whole heck of a lot better than my previous life. Yes, being self-employed can be a bit scary, but I’d take this over the alternative.

Rob Barnett

straydogbrand