Episode 15

In For A Treat (ep 15)

How did a simple dog biscuit become a cultural icon? 🦴

In this episode of Strange Coordinates, Topher Burns and Robert Balog explore the surprising story of Milk-Bone — a brand that turned an everyday pet treat into a ritual, a household name, and even a piece of advertising history.

You’ll learn:

🐾 How Milk-Bone went from functional snack to cultural symbol

🐾 Why advertising shaped not just what dogs eat, but how people relate to them

🐾 The role of play, absurdity, and memory in building lasting brands

If you’ve ever given your dog a treat without thinking twice, you’ve been part of Milk-Bone’s story.

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territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial

Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28

Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding

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Show art & design by Chris Allen

Editing by Steph George

Marketing by Billy Silverman

Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

About the Podcast

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Strange Coordinates
Brands are compass points to unexpected places

About your host

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Topher Burns

Born in Albuquerque, hardened in NYC, and rapidly softening in Portland Oregon. Former TV blogger, current tarot novice, and future bronze medal gymnast at the 2048 senior olympic games in Raleigh-Durham. Founded a branding agency for regenerative businesses. DM for pics of his cats.