Each dog’s nose is as unique as are our fingerprints. That has become the foundation for a very clever tool by adam&eveDDB for Mars pet food brand, Iams. The app uses the noses of registered dogs to help find them when they are lost. One in three pets will be lost at some point in their life. 10 million pets are reported lost or stolen in the US every year.
On the NoseID app, users make a profile for their dog, including scans of their dog’s nose and a physical description. If their dog goes missing, the owner can report their dog as lost and a missing dog alert will be sent to other app users in their community. Anyone who finds a lost dog can use the app to check the alerts and scan a found dog’s nose to search for matches. If they can identify the dog, the finder can connect with the dog’s owner to reunite them. The app also has resources for pet owners, such an interactive map of lost dogs and a lost dog poster generator.
To create the app, adam&eveDDB’s research team trained a machine learning model to recognise and recall the noses of individual dogs and developed the technology, with Psycle Interactive, to make it available in a standard smartphone. It uses the camera to scan the dog’s nose in real time and turn into a a biometric identity unique to the dog. The agency worked with King Henry on design.
“Pets are irreplaceable family members, and with the NoseID app, we’re hoping to help keep more pets in their loving homes and out of shelters – taking another step toward our goal of ending pet homelessness,” stated Craig Neely, vice president of marketing for Mars Petcare North America. “The app is designed to be a community resource, so whether someone has a dog or not, they’ll be able to join the NoseID community to help reunite lost dogs with their families in their own neighbourhood.”
The brand is also partnering with local animal shelters to educate dog owners on the app and its benefits, as well as other preventative measures such as microchipping; and local businesses such as groomers and dog walkers.
The NoseID app is currently in its beta stage and is available for Apple and Android devices for users in Nashville. Dog owners can, however, download the app or send sign up emails to be notified when the app is available in their US city.
The campaign was created by adam&eveDDB creatives, Zoe Nash and Sali Horsey.
