Art Paws!
One of the most enjoyable parts of our work at Shrimply Blue is interacting with the Tahoe community. Art Paws, “Reno’s premier pet event of the year”, marked the team’s first outing since April. A lot has changed since then, and Art Paws was the perfect place to meet Tahoe dog lovers and introduce them to Shrimply Blue’s mission (and their dogs to our treats!).
Highlights of the day:
“I didn’t know there were shrimp in Lake Tahoe!”: After visiting our booth, we saw an attendee explaining Shrimply Blue, Mysis, and our dog treats to his friend! Now we have two more people who can spread the word the challenges facing Lake Tahoe. This work is complex, and one of the most difficult aspects is communicating exactly what we’re doing and why, so witnessing someone share it so fluidly was a win!
We made posters!: Providing a helpful assist to the team were our new posters! One gives readers a high-level overview of Tahoe’s declining clarity (from a visible depth of 102ft in 1968 to just 62.9ft in 2020), Mysis, and Shrimply Blue. The second poster features the nutritional content of Mysis and the benefits of the Omega-3s they contain.
More dogs tested our treats: Of course, dog lovers want the best for their pups, but the ultimate test came when dogs were offered our newly formulated treats. Omega-3s promote healthy skin and shiny coats, but we learned the main question most dogs want answered is whether the treats are tasty! Turns out, dogs preferred the Mysis treats nearly 2 to 1. We’re taking this feedback to heart and plan to try new recipes to get the best formulation for our furry friends.
We premiered our new merch: After a few design rounds, we settled on a t-shirt and premiered it at Art Paws! Shirts, buttons, and stickers are now available, and 100% of the proceeds go directly towards supporting Lake Tahoe restoration and raising public awareness.
Along with introducing more people and pets to Shrimply Blue, the team learned of other organizations dedicated to animal welfare, including Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation (WARF), Boxers & Buddies, and US Wolf Refuge . Art Paws organizers estimate attendance of 3,500-4,000, and plan to work closely with vendors and sponsors to grow the event even more going forward.
As we always say, social impact requires a community. Art Paws was a timely reminder of this, and we’re grateful to be a part of this great community of Lake Tahoe animal lovers!
Cami Harris is our Marketing Communications Intern