Beloved pets brand Boots & Barkley is one of the first private labels Target added to its Owned Brand portfolio.
COPYWRITING · BRANDING · PACKAGING
From 2023 to 2025, my team and I worked tirelessly to reimagine the brand—dreaming up and executing the refresh it deserved (and desperately needed).
I wrote every word you’ll read, from the brand story and tagline to packaging copy—including play personalities and a first-of-its-kind toy durability scale.
Boots & Barkley Logo
Boots & Barkley Brand Story
Amidst pages and pages of tagline explorations, I asked myself: Why pets? Why do we bother with birthday hats and funny toys? My answer: Because pets are just the best.
The next time I met with my team, I pulled up my working doc and everyone agreed: “That’s the line.”
We built this brand with two goals in mind:
Showcase the special connection pets have with their parents
Celebrate the one-of-a-kind personality every pet has
Sure, pet ownership can be messy—but it’s mostly funny, cuddly and chaotic in the very best way. I wanted every copy touchpoint to resonate with pet parents, so they can pick up an item in the store and think, “This is so my pet. I have to get it.”
To further reinforce the intent of the toy and the type of pet it’s meant for, I wrote “play personalities” to help pet parents buy with confidence—or at least crack a smile.
I worked closely with product developers to create an easy-to-understand durability scale that educates shoppers about which toy might be best for their dog.
You can find this on the back of every
Boots & Barkley dog toy in the store.
BEFORE & AFTER
