ABOUT

Regulators weren't paying attention to unexpected meat in dog food. So we sent unexpected meat directly to their doorstep.

BACKGROUND:
Multiple university studies have found more than half of dog foods and treats tested contain meat species not disclosed on the label. A 2023 study even found dog DNA in 2 of 6 brands. Beyond being just plain gross, unlabeled meat can pose a serious health issue for dogs with allergies to specific ingredients, because pet parents have no way of avoiding them if the label is not accurate.

Dog food manufacturers are getting away with this because they can; enforcement isn't a high priority for regulators because most pet parents don't even know about the issue.

Our objective was to turn a niche regulatory issue into a mainstream conversation, pressure regulators to take action, and establish Nose of Justice as a brand committed to truth, transparency, and doing right by dogs.

CONCEPT:
Protest unexpected meat in dog food, by sending unexpected meat to the organization that regulates dog food.

An exotic dancer protesting outside FDA headquarters transformed a dry labeling issue into a public spectacle that was impossible to ignore, using humor and surprise to spark conversations about ingredient transparency and regulatory oversight.


EXECUTION:
The protest was documented in a widely-shared social video that drove audiences deeper into the issue, through an open letter to the FDA written from a dog's perspective, a library of FDA-unapproved advocacy assets, and a how-to guide explaining how pet parents could DNA test their own dog’s food and treats.

Beyond the stunt itself, we developed educational materials explaining gaps in pet food regulation, filed official complaints, and uncovered a previously unreported issue involving manufacturers that appeared to be operating without proper health licenses, making meaningful oversight impossible.

The campaign required months of careful research, planning, and legal review.

RESULTS:
The stunt got people and press talking all over the world, sparking conversation as far away as Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, and Turkey:

“A stunt needs to be clever and/or outrageous to attract attention… dog treat brand Nose of Justice has nailed that brief.” –TheStable

“With a mix of humor and activism, Nose of Justice is launching single-ingredient treats [and] DNA-verified products —all part of Churro’s growing quest to ‘Treat Dogs Right.’” – AdAge

“When studies and activism lead to no change, the next best step is seduction” –Campaign US

“Dog treat brand Nose of Justice sent a stripper to the FDA. And my, did he ever wag his tail.” -Muse by Clios

“Between stripper activism and serious messaging, Nose of Justice may have just pulled off the weirdest (and most memorable) marketing moment of the year.” –2ndofthemonth

"Bold–and excellent." –Purple Acorn Morning Show

The campaign earned 1.4 million impressions, and became a top-trending post on Reddit’s r/pranks and r/nextfuckinglevel, achieving a CTR 8.9x higher than the Reddit average. Website traffic increased +250% and orders were up 4x month-over-month.

Most importantly: we sparked real regulatory action. Following complaints, documentation, and evidence submitted as part of the campaign, the State of California initiated an active review into violations identified through our research.

Dogs do a lot for us. Enforcing the laws meant to protect their health is the least we can do for them.