Creative challenge: could kitty ice cream really take off?

This article is part of our digital feature on petcare

We’ve tasked creative agency Southpaw with creating new products for cats and dogs that will help add value to the declining petcare market. Here’s what they came up with…

Licks Ice Cream

Prince George caused a ruckus after a photo of him feeding ice cream to his pet spaniel was released. The royals were lambasted for feeding dairy products to the beloved pooch, and even the RSPCA responded by warning pet owners to be cautious when giving pets human food as it can be difficult to digest or, in some cases, highly toxic.

So, what should you feed Fido or Mittens when the British sun finally rears its head? Licks, ice cream for pets, of course. There’s Little Licks for cats and Big Licks for dogs.

“Dogs and cats really suffer in the hot weather so we wanted to create a product that would keep them hydrated,” says Craig Roderick, Southpaw creative director. “Little Licks and Big Licks would also be loaded with vitamins and minerals so it’s a healthy product as well.”

It’s just as well, what with the growing obesity problem among pets. To make portion control even simpler, all pet owners have to do is lift the lid and serve to their furry friends as each individual pot would be a portion.

And to appease those concerned about its dairy content, Roderick insists the product is dairy free. “Despite popular beliefs, cream can actually be bad for animals so we’ve made Little Licks and Big Licks dairy free,” he adds. “It’s designed to be an animal friendly and nutritious product after all.”

Taking its design cues from human ice cream, Licks has a distinctly seaside feeling with stripy packaging but, with a cheeky nod to the animals destined to lap it up, the tab is in the shape of a tongue. Little Licks, for cats, comes in three flavours – Cat Nip, Mice Cream and Sticky Duck. Big Licks for mutts comes in Carrot, Bone Marrow and Peanut Butter variants.

“They’re premium products,” adds Tom Primrose from Southpaw, who also worked on the concepts. “We’d see it like Häagen-Dazs and would expect it to be stored next to those kind of ice creams in supermarkets as well.”

But unlike normal ice cream, Licks doesn’t melt as fast, making it ideal for long walks, trips to the beach and days out. And it can also be enjoyed when the sun is shining as it makes a great treat for that big night in. “Cat treats are among the top five growing sectors worldwide, and it also taps the humanisation and snackification trends,” Primrose adds. “Whenever the owner has a treat, the cat can as well. It’s great for a Friday night in when you’re having dessert.”

Doggy Style

Striving for that perfect dog selfie but can’t get your pet’s fur quite as slick as you’d like? Never fear, Southpaw has the product for you. Introducing (ahem) Doggy Style – a premium styling gel for pampered pooches.

With an rsp of £15 you might howl in horror at the thought of spending so much on a seemingly novelty item, but Southpaw believes it’s worth it. For starters, there are more than 422,000 uses of the #dogselfie on Instagram.

“Just as humans want to style themselves and keep in fashion, they want to be able to do the same for their dogs,” explains Joe Jordan from Southpaw’s creative team. “With selfie culture going nowhere, consumers love to take pics with/of their dogs and this product will only help them in their quest for likes and shares.”

Doggy Style is aimed at fashionistas and their equally fashion-conscious furry friends but it’s also great for families, allowing children to bond with the family pet by making them look funny. And, of course, it’s completely edible for those curious woofers.

“This is an organic product, fortified with vitamins to promote a healthy, glossy coat. The gel is completely edible and includes three of the six essential nutrients for a healthy dog – water, vitamins and minerals,” Jordan adds. “And, the scent promotes bonding between dogs, which can be very beneficial when introducing a new puppy to the family.”

With a name like Doggy Style it’d be easy to make the product a cheap gag, but Southpaw insists they’ve kept it classy when it comes to marketing. “Everything is premium, we’re using matt blacks and white with semi-serious images to accompany a fun product,” he says. “It might come across as pretentious but it’s definitely tongue-in-cheek. We’re not afraid to have some fun.”

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Southpaw is a creative communications agency delivering turnaround solutions through consulting, strategy and creative talent. They use these disciplines to help brands challenge and disrupt their markets, with the ultimate goal of providing brave thinking for their clients.