This billboard did not wait to catch a passer-by’s eye. It relied on a lost dog’s sense of smell. The scent of dog food was meant to attract it, while water would help it stay there until someone rescued it. For such a task, a standard billboard needed technical modifications, as well as a location where its function would make sense.
It was installed along the promenade on the banks of the Sava, near Savica in Zagreb, where many people come with their dogs. There, The Billboard That Finds Lost Dogs found its immediate audience: animals that would respond to the scent and owners who know what it means to lose sight of a pet.
The activation was developed for Hrvatski Telekom by the agency Bruketa& as the central part of the campaign HT GPS Tracker – So You Always Know Where Your Pet Is. The figure they started with was worryingly specific: more than 1,500 dogs go missing in Croatia every year. Behind that number are families who do not know where their pet is, and for them, the ability to track its location has a value that a list of technical specifications alone can hardly convey.
One More Reason to Stay with HT
HT entered the campaign as the market leader, facing a problem that was becoming increasingly difficult to resolve through differences between offers. Telecommunications services were becoming more similar in functional terms, consumers more sensitive to prices, and inflation made it even harder to justify the brand’s premium position.
The task was to give customers a reason to feel good about their choice of service provider even when comparing prices or features was not enough. A deeper and more lasting relationship with people needed to be built by showing that HT understood their everyday concerns and knew where it could help.
The true value of that idea becomes apparent the moment a dog goes missing. The agency worked on the assumption that a sincere commitment to one specific, important problem could influence perceptions of the entire brand. The GPS tracker already had a function connected to that concern. It needed to be demonstrated through a real situation, and the billboard became a way for advertising itself to take on part of the job.
Water, Scent and a Spot by the Promenade
A standard billboard was modified to release the scent of dog food. A built-in water bowl was intended to help keep the animals it attracted safe, calm and in one place until help arrived. In this way, part of the advertising space gained a use that continued after a passer-by had read the message.
The connection to the product was straightforward: the GPS tracker helps owners know where their pet is, while the billboard sought to attract lost dogs to a known location. Through this intervention, HT was meant to demonstrate the care called for by the strategy and offer an experience more convincing than a traditional advertisement.
The physical execution also involved decisions about materials and contractors. Durable materials with a long service life were selected to reduce waste from repairs or replacements. Wherever possible, local contractors were engaged to reduce transport-related emissions.
From the outset, the client provided a clearly defined brief and objectives, then supported the development and implementation of the idea in full. HT was involved throughout the process and embraced the opportunity to demonstrate the GPS tracker’s value through a situation in which it could help. Bruketa& led the strategy, creative concept and communications solution, while the technical execution was developed with specialist partners. Trust, a shared goal and a willingness to see the concept through were important to this division of responsibilities.
From Savica to International Media
Other street advertisements offered owners a different encounter with the campaign. A DOOH activation scanned dogs passing by and used artificial intelligence to display advertisements featuring their likeness. Seeing their own dog in such an advertisement was intended to bring owners closer to the feeling of losing a beloved pet. Some influencers also joined the campaign on social media with their pets.
The billboard by the Sava was also designed to generate media interest. Its physical task was tied to a single promenade, but its story reached a global audience. The activation secured coverage in 51 national publications, as well as a presence in the international trade media AdAge and Lürzer’s Archive. The number of people it reached far exceeded the number who saw the installation in person. It generated 1.4 million views on social media.
GPS tracker sales increased by 288% within the wider campaign. The agency describes this shift as the product’s move from niche to mainstream. During a period of price adjustments, key “brand love” indicators were 37% above the industry average, aligning with the initial objective of building affection for the brand beyond the service’s functional attributes.
The Billboard That Finds Lost Dogs won gold at BalCannes in the Best Outdoor – OOH category. Explaining what made it stand out, the agency highlights its usefulness and the inclusion of dogs as its immediate audience. Scent added a sensory dimension to a visual medium, while the installation remained connected to the purpose of the GPS tracker.
The work brought together innovation, social value, emotion and a business objective, with media coverage extending far beyond its location. The agency sees what was probably its greatest strength on the awards circuit in its ability to function as an advertisement, a service and a starting point for a wider story. All of this rested on a very understandable task: attracting a dog that had gone missing and helping it stay somewhere it could be found.
The Team Behind the Project
Hrvatski Telekom
Branka Bajt, Brand Director
Javorka Jovančević, Head of Department
Ivana Frankol, Brand Manager
Helena Palčić Videk, Brand Sector, Consumer Segment
Bruketa&
Vito Kasumović, Senior Copywriter
Martina Brnić, Project Manager
Davor Bruketa, Creative Director
Vanja Činić, Creative Director
Tea Silvija Vlahović Mlakar, Head of Strategy
Ivana Momčilović, Art Director
Lucija Čičin-Šain, Designer
Ivona Grepo, Designer
Roberta Kranjec, Project Director
Anja Pečovnik, Head of Video Production
Iva Marenić, Senior Motion Designer
Radovan Radičević, Head of DTP
Željka Tročak, DTP Operator
Dragan Karanušić, DTP Operator
Davor Ćosić, Senior PR Specialist
Partners
Damir Žižić, Photographer
Domagoj Kunić, Photographer
Hanger Media / Tomislav Zeljko, Dario Oxenham, Billboard Production
Pro Media Group
