Round of A-Paws for Puppy Bowl's Marketing Partners

As America gears up for the Big Game this weekend, Animal Planet is busy with a Super Bowl of its own. Team Ruff and Team Fluff are returning on Sunday at 2 p.m. for Puppy Bowl 2023, the 19th iteration of the call-to-adoption TV event. And they're bringing a whole slate of marketing partners. Puppy Bowl 2023 marks the first time the event will be broadcast under the Warner Bros. Discovery brand, with the event being simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, TBS, HBO Max and Discovery+. This year, 122 puppies from 67 shelters across 34 states will “compete” as part of Animal Planet’s yearly adoption event. New and returning brands to Puppy Bowl include Pooch Perks, Bark Social, Val Pak, Southwest, Grounds & Hounds and Georgetown Cupcake. "For almost 20 years, Puppy Bowl has long been the biggest celebration of pet adoption. Now fueled by the power of Warner Bros. Discovery, the event is bigger than ever,” said Karen Bronzo, CMO of U.S. networks group at WBD, in a statement. “In addition to watching the Big Game, fans also get to experience Puppy Bowl through our exciting partnerships.” Pooch Perks, a monthly dog box, is making its Puppy Bowl debut. The company is curating a collection of toys and treats designed to complement both Puppy Bowl and the month of February, with each box coming with a Puppy Bowl XIX bandana and football and Valentine’s-themed toys and treats. Though it's new to Puppy Bowl, the company has previously partnered with Discovery for Shark Week. Bark Social, another new partner, plans to host Puppy Bowl watch parties at its Bethesda and Baltimore locations, and Georgetown Cupcakes returns with themed treats, available to ship nationwide. In addition, partner Valpak is launching a $1000 sweepstakes as part of its HGTV Married to Real Estate campaign, and each envelope comes with a Puppy Bowl XIX coloring sheet. Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. made its return with a co-hosted “Pup Rally” on Feb. 4 in Los Angeles, where owners and their pups could partake in football-themed activities and drink a special Puppy Bowl coffee blend. Discovery Channel’s Shark Week Takes a Marketing Bite With New Partners If you’re flying Southwest Airlines during February, Animal Planet will have a Puppy Bowl on-demand channel as well as an exclusive video, Journey to Puppy Bowl. On the media side, the Georgia Aquarium is joining the event after a successful Shark Week run as part of a long-standing content partnership. Local shelter puppies toured the aquarium, dolphins played with footballs and penguins enjoyed gameday activities. There will also be original social videos around the activations. Comedy Central’s The Daily Show returns for the third year, with its Instagram account DailyShowDogs highlighting pups belonging to the show’s staffers, as well as adoptable dogs from the New York City area and the U.S. This time around, Daily Show Dogs will highlight the roster of pups across Team Ruff and Team Fluff. Beloved influencer account WeRateDogs and its charitable organization 15/10 Foundation also partnered with Animal Planet. The organization sponsors shelter dogs with medical needs, and two Puppy Bowl contestants have been chosen by the 15/10 Foundation to cover their medical expenses. Another new partner, Los Angeles-based Paw Works, will provide five days of YouTube live streams on Animal Planet’s channel leading up to the Puppy Bowl. Fans can also check out an Instagram Live scrimmage on Animal Planet’s account on Saturday, and WBD will have coverage across its social channels.

Programming & Performance

Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl Doesn't Have It Ruff With Slate of Marketing Partners

Bark Social, Valpak and Pooch Perks are among new sponsor brands

Mollie Cahillane

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Mollie Cahillane