Content Marketing, Doggie Style
Posted by Beth Hrusch on Fri, Sep 11, 2009
Is it just 
me, or is every marketing effort that contains a dog a winner? Even if the ad stinks, it's a winner if it has a dog in it. The other day I read an article in which someone was complaining about a commercial that simply didn't work (for a variety of reasons). This ad contained two really cute dogs, and as I watched the clip a part of me said "OK, I can see the problems here", while the other 2/3 of my brain was saying "Those are the cutest dogs I have ever seen. I must watch this again!"
I didn't care that the company did not explain its product clearly, or even make much of an attempt to tie it into what the dogs (who were so cute! - oops, sorry) were doing. Anyway, those of you who have seen the flooring commercial with the skateboarding bulldog know what I'm talking about. Those dogs could be sitting there doing nothing and you would watch them do it.
Is there a lesson here for content marketers? Well, we talk a lot about awesome content and how it makes you an authority, increases sales, converts leads and builds trust. But remember that part of attracting customers involves finding out what interests and motivates them, then pushing that button to get the reaction you want. Cute dogs (among other things) can do that. The aforementioned commercial may not have been the best way to market an investment product, but it got my attention and kept it. In that sense it was a success.
So build your site around the creation and distribution of great content. But don't forget to expand into other avenues. Audio (music) and visual (really cute dogs) enhance your image and help you create an identifiable brand. They work with your content to form a picture of who you are, to people who may have never heard of you but want to learn more.
I wouldn't mind being associated with a dog, would you? A cute dog, that is. That would be OK.