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A quick summary: A stuffed toy dog (left behind in the laundry of the hotel in Perth) has been turned into an authentic, low-key but highly effective social campaign. It shows how a brand can uphold service values while adding personality that feels genuine, not salesy.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, or aren’t chronically online like the rest of us, our story begins as it often does, with something small: a well-worn stuffed dog. Found by housekeeping at a Holiday Inn in Perth, Australia, no one came forward to claim it. But rather than quietly shelving it in lost property, the team gave it (or him rather) a name – Jack – and began documenting his ‘stay’ on social media.

What followed was a masterclass in storytelling. Over a few short weeks, Jack was seen checking in at reception, greeting guests, and exploring the city’s landmarks. The posts, simple and charming, have attracted hundreds of thousands of views, news coverage in titles like People magazine- and sparked genuine affection online for this sweet stuffed pooch.

But why does this work and how can brands be prepared if they stumble upon their own ‘Jack’?

1. Service first
The hotel’s promise is hospitality. Fundamentally, they’re there to care for every guest and every detail. Treating a forgotten toy with the same respect reinforces that ethos.

2. Personality without performance 
Jack’s adventures feel spontaneous. Which is probably far from true – as we know all too well, social media takes a lot of planning and ultimately time. But because of this meticulous planning, there’s no push, no hard sell. Just a playful narrative that makes followers smile.

3. Authenticity over artifice    
In an era of over-engineered content, the story feels refreshingly real. The hotel didn’t invent a campaign; it noticed a moment and amplified it with warmth and authenticity.

4. Shareable simplicity              
The imagery of Jack performing various tasks like being perched at the front desk, posing in the city, or enjoying the spa is light, visual, and instantly shareable. It builds community, not just clicks.

5. Aligned with brand values 
The story never leaves the hotel’s lane. It’s about care, service, and human connection; all core to the Holiday Inn brand yet it reaches beyond hospitality to show character and heart.

The lesson

As a communications agency, we know that storytelling isn’t just about what you say, but how you say it and where. There’s nuance in a truly good story, even when the idea itself is simple.

In a landscape crowded with manufactured “moments,” Jack’s story stands out precisely because it wasn’t built to sell. It’s proof that authenticity still cuts through when everything else feels filtered.

This stuffed dog has nothing to do with hotel amenities or room rates, yet it’s become the perfect vehicle to tell the brand’s story: subtly, humanly, and without a hard sales pitch.

Brands often forget that social media is, at its core, social. People don’t log in to be shouted at to buy, buy, buy. They come to connect, laugh, and feel something genuine. The Holiday Inn team understood that instinctively and it’s why Jack’s story works.

What brands can learn from Jack

Let your social team be creative. Although it is important, try not to weigh them down with the constant pressure of conversion targets and click-through rates. Paid campaigns, CTRs, and ROI targets matter; they keep strategy accountable, but the best stories are often the unplanned ones.

Holiday Inn Perth found that balance. They trusted their team to lean into a small, unscripted moment, and it paid off. What started as a playful story about a lost toy has become both a viral hit and a commercial success: Jack is now the hotel’s official kids’ club mascot, and the team sells plush versions in his likeness.

Recently, the hotel also partnered with Rottnest Express through its Very Important Kids (VIK) programme, offering guests discounts on ferry fares, bike hire and tours to Rottnest Island — a move that extends Jack’s feel-good legacy into genuine value for visiting families and a smart local tourism tie-up.

That’s the real lesson. When you give your people permission to follow an idea (even one that seems a bit out there) it can spark brand love, partnerships, and commercial opportunity. Sometimes, the stories that start without a sales goal end up becoming the most profitable of all.

Check out Jack’s escapades: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMM2Z3DzV9p/?hl=en&img_index=7