In summer, a hot parked car can quickly become a death trap for our pets. Arken Zoo, Sweden's largest pet store chain, wanted to make an effort to raise awareness about the danger of leaving pets in hot cars, as well as educate on how to act if you discover an animal in distress.
As a solution, we launched "Värmeslagaren" (The Heatstriker). An innovation combining an emergency hammer with a water bottle. It provides the ability, in an emergency and in accordance with Swedish law, to smash a car window and offer liquid. With The Heatstriker as its foundation, the campaign could achieve two things: 1) Create a powerful symbol to educate about not leaving pets in hot cars, and 2) Serve as a practical tool to actually save lives.
The Heatstriker was sold in Arken Zoo stores across the country and placed in adjacent parking lots to be readily available in an emergency. It also became the basis for an integrated communication effort across all available channels.
The Heatstriker gained nationwide attention, reaching both pet owners and the general public. This was achieved in stores, on the website, via influencers, social media, and in traditional media, where Arken Zoo's spokespersons had several opportunities to educate on the topic.
But the campaign didn't just reach people. It engaged and delivered measurable impact – with record-high engagement and brand metrics soaring during the campaign period. Most importantly: During the summer, no deceased pets were reported in hot cars (Police incident report and Retriever's media monitoring).
