Dog food and care brand Pedigree used AI to transform shelter dogs into people with corresponding dating profiles. These profiles can be found on popular dating apps until the end of June 2023 to match shelter dogs with potential new owners.
This approach is a response to the fact that many owners primarily choose their new dog based on appearance and don’t consider their character, resulting in overcrowded animal shelters. Choosing based on appearance often leads to problems when it turns out that the dog’s personality doesn’t fit or align with the home situation. The increasing overcrowding in animal shelters and a shortage of volunteers pose significant challenges, especially during the summer period.
To make people more aware of how they choose their dogs and encourage them to pay more attention to the inner characteristics of the dog, Pedigree has collaborated with AI specialists to transform four existing shelter dogs into human dating profiles using innovative AI technology. The playful “dogfishing” activation aims to match these four shelter dogs with potential owners through several popular dating apps.
Dogfishing
For the activation, shelter dogs Bakkie, Lizz, Sjakie, and Freggel from Crailo Animal Shelter in Hilversum have been transformed into their human alter egos using AI. This visual representation shows how the dogs would look if they were humans, highlighting their personality traits, interests, and hobbies. In the photos, the AI specialists have incorporated details such as Lizz’s love for long walks and Bakkie’s affinity for companionship. When users match with these human dog profiles, Pedigree informs them that they have been “dogfished” with the message that there is a dog waiting for a home, eager to meet them.
