Wait with a Mate was a fully immersive experience that allowed

commuters waiting on a train platform to engage in a playful game

of fetch with an energetic dog. A digital video display tracked throwing

motions via an in-built sensor and a ball on screen took an appropriate

flight path. Once the dog retrieved the digital ball, a real tennis ball with

unique adoption information got dispensed through a hatch in the center

of the build. This brought the digital experience into the real world and left

users with a token of their newly formed friendship. They then had the

opportunity to return the ball to The Lost Dogs Home and use it to redeem pet

adoption discounts.

Wait with a Mate targeted bored commuters at Australia’s busiest train station by injecting a little excitement into their day while they waited for the train.

The campaign launched in December 2016 and ran across an entire week at Southern Cross Station, the perfect high foot-traffic experiential location where traffic figures reached over 400,000. Adoption information and advice was provided by volunteers from The Lost Dogs Home and the shelter dogs even made an appearance on launch day. Wait with a Mate was an immersive activation delivered through the perfect platform. It was able to cut through the clutter and connect with consumers in a memorable and meaningful way.

Wait with a Mate was a huge success. 1,117,968 media impressions were generated across both TV and social media, over 400,000 people were exposed to the interactive display, 1,361 total panel interactions took place (tripling our original target), and most importantly 53 shelter dogs found a loving home as a direct result of this week long campaign. People really got to interact with shelter dogs in an engaging new way giving The Lost Dogs Home its highest adoption figures achieved through a single adoption drive since the organisation’s inception in 1910. We broke through to busy Australians who had never experienced the joys of pet ownership before, showing rather than simply telling them, just how valuable a pet could be.