As part of an ongoing commitment to making the world a more dog-friendly place, pet food brand Cesar has launched a workplace grants program, designed to help companies make simple changes to welcome dogs into offices.

Research from the brand has shown that 93% of dog owners in pet-friendly workplaces reported positive attitudes about going to work and 87% of employers with dog-friendly office policies say those policies increased the likelihood of their workforce returning to the office in person. Dog-friendly offices have a multitude of benefits for both pet parents and office workers, yet many workplaces shy away from welcoming furry friends due to misconceptions about it being hard to organise or not knowing where to start.

To help companies make the jump, following a commitment the pet food brand made in 2022 to make the world a more dog-friendly place, the grant which is part of Mars Petcare’s ‘Better Cities For Pets’ program, helps companies make simple changes to welcome dogs into the office or further enhance their current dog-friendly offerings.

Cesar plans to award $75,000 to more than 15 businesses and companies to help dog-friendly workplaces obtain amenities, dog-friendly design, effective pets-at-work policies and more. The money can be used for the likes of helping with responsible pet ownership support like signage, behaviour training classes or leash hooks and installations; health and safety support like dog-friendly water fountains or adding safety-promoting design elements; or engagement and celebration initiatives like creating interactive areas or content that can be used to promote a dog-friendly workplace.

To encourage involvement, the brand has also launched a new creative campaign, led by creative agency BBDO New York, starring a completely different animal, the rhino. Short videos and social executions show a rhino wreaking havoc in an office to show that going dog friendly is no big deal by comparison. Videos show the rhino knocking over shelves and cups of tea while disgruntled employees look on exasperated. A title reads ‘we aren’t asking for rhino friendly offices’ before the scene shifts to a much more serene office showing employees and their dogs, a title reads ‘just dog-friendly ones.’ The video is a humorous reminder of how a dog friendly workplace need not be a huge change.

The creative campaign also includes custom rhino filters for Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat that allow users to create a video of a rhino in their own office to help spread the word, as well as PR and influencer support.

Workplaces can apply for the grant or take part in a ‘take your dog to work day’ designed to give a taste of just how it might work welcoming pets into the office. Cesar also has experts on hand to educate on the benefits of making the office more dog friendly and has created an online resource for both businesses and consumers featuring an infographic highlighting the positive impacts.

The pet-positive campaign brings the brand’s message to life and works toward creating a more dog-friendly world for its customers. The joyful campaign uses humour to bring a smile to dog owners' faces while helping to make change to make the life of pet parents a little bit easier.