Tuesday, September 14, 2021

BarkBox Teases 'Blue's Clues' Dog Toys

BarkBox posted a mockup, and Nickelodeon liked it. Fingers crossed, Blue’s Clues fans and dog owners.


NEW YORK: Social media users have been begging BarkBox to create Blue’s Clues-themed toys, and it looks like the subscription box for dogs might actually grant their wish!

Nickelodeon's beloved preschool series Blue's Clues, currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, follows an animated blue-spotted dog named Blue as she leaves a trail of clues and paw prints for the host and viewers to figure out her plans for the day.

After Nick Jr. posted a video on Tuesday of original Blue’s Clues host Steve Burns explaining that he left the show in 2002 to go to college, the internet lost its mind, and users posted memes reacting to the emotional video. BarkBox got in on the fun by posting the dog version of the meme on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.


“We were just as struck by Steve’s video as a bunch of elder millennials on this team,” said BarkBox director of content and communications Stacie Grissom. “But we noticed all of the comments were people begging for Blue’s Clues BarkBox toys.”

Grissom said her team contacted BarkBox’s designer and asked if the toys could be mocked up. “We were like, ‘The people have spoken,’” she said. 

BarkBox posted the design for the dog toys and wearables on Thursday, telling people to “make some noise” if they want to see them made into real products. The teaser box features a Blue costume for pups, Steve’s Handy Dandy Notebook and crayon, with affirmations for dogs, and Steve's iconic green-stripped jersey.


It’s on-track to be the best-performing organic BarkBox Instagram post of all time. On Instagram, the post has a 2.3% engagement rate, 41,500 likes, 3,100 comments and 3,000 shares. On Facebook, the post has a 5% engagement rate, 10,000 reactions, 2,300 comments and 757 shares.

On Thursday night, Nickelodeon emailed BarkBox saying, “If you want to make the toys, let’s talk,” Grissom revealed to PR Week. The company couldn’t share other details on when or if the toys will be available.  

Speaking about BarkBox’s social media strategy, Grissom said that its goal isn’t to sell subscription boxes or retain customers; rather, it’s simply to entertain dog people.

“This Steve video has connected with the internet,” she added. “It’s what we all needed right now.”

BarkBox works with communications agency Confidant, but handled this activity internally.


Originally published: September 14, 2021.

H/T: Campaign.

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