BarkBox Reveals the Serious Process Behind Fun Dog Toys

The thrill of unboxing has gone to the dogs. BarkBox, the subscription-based seller of dog toys and treats, has been going the extra mile to reveal how its products are made. After all, dog parents want what’s best for their fur babies. Therefore, a higher level of transparency and openness is required to maintain and build on its loyal base. By the time Bark’s Super Chewer box arrives at subscribers’ doors, the themed toys inside have been through a year of design sketches, 3D printing, prototypes and test play. It’s a labor-intensive process that the toy design team has recently been shining a light on via its Instagram account Bark Creative, which has nearly 4,000 followers, posting images of design sketches, prototypes, the final product and designs that didn’t make it past the notebook. The initiative, which started in August, is already seeing higher engagement. Posts of the sketches tend to perform better than posts of the actual toys, sometimes often getting double the likes. The ‘Crazy Dog People’ Helping Bark Take a Big Bite Out of the Pet-Products Market Bark took it a step further in September’s box with an insert card showing how the toys Olga the Owl, Franz the Fox, Acornucopia and the Fall Fetch Stick went from sketch to prototype to final product. It’s part of Bark’s effort to show subscribers the work that goes into toy design and also encourage a two-way conversation with customers. Bark wants to know what works, what doesn’t, and how customers are playing with their canine friends. “We want to give that behind-the-scenes visibility to show that there are truly dog-obsessed designers behind every single product,” Katie Lim, director of industrial design for the Bark Super Chewer, told Adweek. “Our hope is that it opens up lines of communication.” Bark toy designers want customers to share their experiences with the Happy Team, its version of customer service. Feedback—positive and negative—informs the design of toys in development and lets the team know what they should do more of and what needs to be tweaked. No rip-offs (even when dogs do the ripping) Each Bark subscriber—there are 1.9 million—receives two toys and two to three bags of treats in their monthly box. They’re customized according to each canine’s allergies and chewing intensity. The Super Chewer option has toys designed to withstand the toughest play and usually doesn’t include plush toys—the ones that resemble stuffed animals—since they’re the easiest to destroy. Transparency about its pet products is designed to meet consumers’ high expectations for their fur babies and drive engagement Bark designers create 500 new toys annually, each going into a themed box. September’s Super Chewer theme is Fall Hike; past themes include Dogsgiving, Lick or Treat, Fairground Hounds and Squeakaway Camp. The themes are meant to encourage creative play. Each box contains an insert that directs owners to “take play time to the next level” by directing them to Bark’s online content. Lim and her team rely on social media posts and other feedback from customers to see how toys are weathering rough play, looking for unexpected ways dogs and their owners engage with the toys. For example, some dog owners like freezing toys to soothe teething puppy gums. Creating Barkbox products with the anticipation that they’re going to be subjected to extreme conditions of all kinds is part of how the brand maintains its relationships. The ultimate unwrap Pulling the curtain back on the design process is also a way for creators to explain the thinking behind the toys. For example, September’s insert explains that Olga the Owl was a particularly exciting feat because it enabled designers to give Super Chewers the tough inner core made of solid rubber with an outer fuzzy top layer meant to be ripped off. That fuzzy outer layer is rare for Super Chewers since they destroy it so quickly. But that’s exactly what this toy is designed for since it’s meant to simulate “unwrapping a gift.” Transparency about its pet products is designed to meet consumers’ high expectations for their fur babies and drive engagement The team also wants subscribers to understand the design process involved in toy making. Designers submit about 50 ideas for monthly toys; four or five make it to the box. Those initial sketches lead to concepts that detail what the item will be made from, its texture and scent. An August Instagram post explains that the Bass Kicker toy in September's Doggone Fishing box is made of nylon with grooves to satisfy serious chewers. And the Rad Herring toy is pictured with and without its cover to show how it has a natural rubber inside to go along with its fabric exterior. “Toy design can be underestimated because it is so fun and cute,” Lim said. “But it is a very serious product to design for because you're thinking about safety, durability, play styles, play patterns, materials and cost. There's so much problem solving than I think people realize what’s behind these characters.” The Toys R Us Store Reboot Didn’t Work. Here’s What Could