Booking Pet KOCs: Behind-the-Scenes Challenges & an Effective Working Process
Author: Head of Production, Height Media | Topic: Operations Skills
Booking a person is already challenging; booking a dog or cat is considerably harder. You cannot hand the pet a script and say: “Smile in this part, and hold the product in that part”. In fact, when booking a pet influencer, you are working with the pet owner — the manager, director and cleaner for the “star”.
Below are 3 key differences in the operating process:
1. Keep Scripts Flexible
Never demand a rigid script. Animals are unpredictable.
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The mistake: Ask the cat to run from point A to point B, then look at the camera. Failure rate: 99%.
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Solution: Briefing based on situations and natural reactions.
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Instead of forcing difficult actions, place the product in the pet's familiar environment and let the owner capture its most natural, candid moments.
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Example: Place the bag of pet food on the floor and film the pet rushing to eat enthusiastically, demonstrating its appeal.
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2. The Pet Owner's Role: The Owner Is the Key
Although the pet is the star, its owner determines the video's quality.
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Owners understand their pets best. They know when the pet is happy and when it will cooperate.
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Booking notes: Check the owner's filming and editing skills. Many popular pet channels succeed because of the owner's humorous captions and entertaining voiceovers, not just the pet's appearance.
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Costs: Booking prices usually reflect the considerable effort made by owners, who may have to film hundreds of times to get 1 satisfactory shot.
3. Production Lead Time
Do not set rushed deadlines.
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A person may finish filming in 2 hours, but a pet may need the whole day—or you may have to wait until the next day when it is in a better mood.
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Standard process: Add 3-5 days to the planned timeline to allow for these special performers' lack of cooperation.
Conclusion
Working with pet influencers requires patience and understanding. Do not impose an industrial mindset on living creatures. The result will be authentic, emotional footage with tremendous viral potential that no professional actor can reproduce.
Height Entertainment has experience working with professional pet owners, helping optimise production to keep brand schedules on track.
