Brightkins
Brightkins
Creating a Leader in Pet Enrichment
When Startr Co. first connected with Brightkins at a pet industry trade show, it was clear the brand was ready for renewed energy and creativity in its PR strategy. Backed by more than 100 years of toy-making expertise from Learning Resources, Brightkins offers inspired, thoughtfully designed products. However, its PR strategy was not yet fully capturing the brand’s story or its potential.
Brightkins entered 2025 poised to reinvigorate the pet toy category with a focus on enrichment, curiosity, and pets’ overall physical and mental well-being. What they needed was a CPG PR agency that could amplify this message and ensure Brightkins showed up in the right conversations as pet parents increasingly sought more meaningful ways to engage with their furry companions.
Building a Go-To Brand in Pet Enrichment
Startr Co. began its work with a clear but ambitious goal: position Brightkins as the go-to enrichment brand for pets. Over the course of our first year together, we executed a well-rounded media relations campaign designed to grow awareness, spark sustained conversation, and increase brand visibility during key sales moments.
How We Brought the Brightkins Story to Life
As a pet brand PR agency, our strategy and approach focused on building credibility across pet, consumer, trade, and lifestyle media and centered on four key pillars:
Drive high-impact media coverage for both new and existing products, including the launch of the first-ever Kanoodle: Dog Edition
Elevate Brightkins’ educational positioning, reinforcing the brand as a category leader in pet enrichment and mental stimulation
Strategically seeding products with celebrities and influencers who authentically share their lives and their pets
Exploring meaningful partnerships with like-minded brands to introduce Brightkins to new audiences and communities
This layered execution allowed Brightkins to show up consistently with relevance, authority, and heart.
The Results: Renewed Momentum and Category Visibility
The impact of our first year together was significant:
40 National Media Placements
348 Trade and Regional Media Placements
2.1 Billion+ Impressions (100% YOY increase)
A partnership with AutoCamp, the dog-friendly glamping experience, featuring Brightkins products during the Dog Days of Summer campaign. This collaboration included cross-promotion on social media, placement in AutoCamp’s brand newsletter, and donation opportunities supporting local animal shelters.
Through focused brand storytelling, thoughtful media relations, and agile PR services, Startr Co. helped Brightkins rebuild momentum and elevate its standing in the pet enrichment space, setting a strong foundation for long-term visibility, credibility, and growth.
