There are more pet-friendly events and establishments than ever in a post-COVID world—nearly one in five American households adopted a pet during the pandemic—and Purina is getting its paws on the action as part of its St. Louis CITY SC sponsorship. Over the spring, the brand built the first permanent and dedicated furball-friendly section at a Major League Soccer stadium at the team’s home arena, CITYPARK. And on May 20, 16 pet parents and eight dogs were the first to experience the launch of the “Purina Club.”
Located at midfield on the lower level of the stadium, which offers premium views of the pitch, the Purina Club is composed of four loges, each able to accommodate two dogs and four humans. The sections are completely covered from the elements and equipped with branded water bowls, toys, treats and pet jerseys. (Also important: The Club has easy access to a dog relief area.) Reservations are required to score one of the loges, and those able to snag one also get to take home a swag bag with items like pet food coupons, exclusive Purina/CITY SC co-branded toys and popular brands of Purina treats.
“Since announcing our partnership with CITY more than two years ago, we’ve been working with the team to find the right way to welcome pets into the matchday experience,” says Michael Zerman, strategist-public relations at Nestlé Purina North America. “Purina and the soccer team have a shared ambition to make CITY the most pet-friendly sports club in the world, and the Purina Club is a significant step we’re taking to make that ambition a reality. The Purina Club really celebrates the intersection of the passion we feel for pets and sports.”
From Purina’s perspective, “pet-friendly” is a phrase that is often used too liberally. By the brand’s definition, creating a “pet-friendly” experience doesn’t just mean allowing animals into a venue; it means designing a space specifically with them in mind, and with the intention of creating the safest and most comfortable experience possible for both pets and their parents. For the Purina Club, the brand enlisted several of its pet behavioral experts, including Dr. Annie Valuska, a principal scientist focused on pet behavior and welfare, to work directly with stadium architects and CITY SC staff. Together, they collaborated on everything from the materials used within the space (like flooring that is soft and easily cleanable) to its overall structure. Feedback from professional soundproofing engineers was also incorporated into the design.
“We enlisted the support of an expert the caliber of Dr. Annie because she really serves as ‘the voice of the pet’ within our organization,” Zerman says. “She sees things that are critical from a pet’s perspective or to simulate their experience. That is a foundational component of taking the steps of making something pet-friendly. It isn’t enough to simply call it ‘pet-friendly;’ there also has to be some intention and focus put into enhancements made around the event to ensure that the event is enjoyable and, most importantly, safe.”
In addition to the Purina Club, before each CITY SC home match, fans can expect to see performances from the Purina Incredible Dogs Team, experience interactive games and photo moments, and win custom giveaways. To boot, a new Pet of the Match program highlights fans and their pets inside CITYPARK, on social and on the team app. Happy tails. Agency: Momentum Worldwide.
