The American Kennel Club (AKC®) has been a trusted name in the dog world for nearly 140 years – but its mission extends far beyond breed registration.
As the world’s largest not-for-profit all-breed registry, AKC champions responsible dog ownership, canine health, and the joy that dogs bring into our lives every day.
With millions of visitors to AKC.org each month, the organization has built the number one online destination for dog lovers, serving owners, breeders, and enthusiasts with rich content, expert advice, and a deep connection to the canine community.
To support such a passionate and diverse audience, AKC needed a way to unify its digital properties and deliver more personalized, meaningful experiences. That’s where SAP Emarsys comes in.
A Mission Built on Connection and Care
As a not-for-profit organization, the American Kennel Club exists to serve a greater purpose: to protect and promote the well-being of dogs and the people who care for them. From advocating for the rights of dog owners to advancing canine health research, AKC’s work touches every corner of the dog-loving community.
But AKC’s mission doesn’t stop at advocacy. It extends into education, outreach, and daily inspiration, helping owners make informed decisions, connecting breeders with trusted resources, and celebrating the unique role dogs play in family life.
Whether it’s through breed profiles, training tips, or programs like AKC Pupdate, AKC makes its values felt in every interaction: trust, knowledge, and an enduring love for dogs.
Uniting Siloed Experiences with SAP Emarsys
However, as AKC’s digital footprint grew, so did the complexity of its ecosystem.
From the AKC Marketplace and Shop to the Registry, Canine College, and editorial content on AKC.org, the organization manages a wide range of platforms, each serving a different audience, with different data and engagement needs.
To deliver a seamless, personalized experience across this landscape, AKC needed a marketing solution that could do more than send emails. It needed a platform that could bring fragmented systems together and activate insights in real time.
With SAP Emarsys, AKC can now ingest data from across its digital properties and use it to fuel smarter engagement. By housing relational data, such as breed preferences, content history, and behavioral signals, in a central location, the team can build campaigns that feel more connected, relevant, and meaningful to every subscriber.
Personalization That Feels Personal: The Power of Relational Data
With a passionate audience and a rich library of breed-specific content, AKC needed a way to scale personalization without sacrificing relevance. SAP Emarsys made that possible by enabling the team to tap into relational data and dynamically populate campaigns based on each user’s interests.
One standout example is AKC Pupdate, AKC’s email series for new puppy owners that provides weekly advice based on the dog’s breed and age.
Using relational data stored in SAP Emarsys, including breed images, descriptions, and content links, the marketing team can automatically build and send tailored emails that resonate with each recipient.
By combining ESL scripting with VCE blocks, AKC Pupdate emails are assembled on the fly, drawing from AKC’s centralized breed data repository. That means:
- Dog owners receive content tailored to the breeds they love
- Emails stay fresh and relevant without manual input
- The team can scale communications without sacrificing quality
It’s a smart, scalable approach to content-driven engagement – one that reflects the individuality of each subscriber, just like the dogs they care for.
A Platform That Grows with the Pack
As AKC continues to expand its programs and digital experiences, flexibility and scalability are key. SAP Emarsys provides the foundation to adapt and grow, whether it’s launching new campaigns, unifying new data sources, or reaching new segments of dog owners and breeders.
With Emarsys, AKC has the platform flexibility and scale it needs to stay ahead of expectations. Automation, relational data, and omnichannel orchestration give the team the tools to deliver timely, meaningful communication at every stage of the customer journey.
And as the organization’s mission continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: a commitment to delivering thoughtful, personalized experiences for every dog lover in the pack.
