At the most recent SuperZoo trade show in Las Vegas in September, the World Wide Pet Industry Association (WWPIA) crowned a border collie named Splash the winner of its “Canine Runway” contest. The campaign, handled in conjunction with AOR Formula PR, brought together pet-industry retailers and consumers and is just one way the organization balances its outreach to its three target audiences: consumers, pet industry insiders, and the media.

While many industry groups focus on b-to-b efforts, the WWPIA ...