The poster that helps find lost dogs

Hrvatski Telekom (HT), Croatia’s leading telecommunications company and a member of the Deutsche Telekom global brand, has introduced an innovative out-of-home project designed to assist in finding lost dogs. The project was made in collaboration with the Bruketa&Zinic&Grey creative agency.

Instead of asking passersby to keep an eye out, the poster actively participates in the search. A built in mechanism releases the scent of food, while a water bowl placed beside the unit helps keep a stray calm until the owner arrives. The first installation is live in Zagreb, in the area where people often walk their dogs.

For the advertising community, the project reframes media from message to utility. It makes the promise of a GPS locator tangible in the real world and does so through behavioral design, not spectacle. The idea is rooted in a simple truth. Dogs follow their noses. That insight becomes a practical intervention that earns attention by being genuinely helpful, and it can be replicated near parks, trails, shelters, and other dog routes in markets beyond Croatia.

“In Croatia, more than 1,500 dogs go missing or stray each year, creating an emotional burden for owners and a real risk for animals. Losing a pet is one of the hardest moments for any owner. Our aim is to show how technology and innovative solutions can enrich what may seem like small, but are in fact extremely important life situations. If this experiment helps save even a single dog, we have already done a great thing,” said Branka Bajt, Brand Director at Hrvatski Telekom.

The concept and execution were developed by Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, engineered from the ground up around canine scent and the realities of outdoor media, turning a static billboard into a scent beacon. The activation is part of a broader campaign promoting HT’s GPS locator for pets, designed to help owners keep their dogs under supervision and reduce the stress of loss.