"Dogs Rule"

Did you know that October is Adopt-A-Dog month? To get into the spirit, I thought I'd kick things off here by taking a look at an appropriately themed case of cause-related marketing.

According to its website, Pedigree brand dog food "feeds more dogs around the world than any other". Along with its commitment to providing all-life stages nutrition to our canine companions, the brand has also chosen to align itself with shelters across North America in order to help dogs through the Pedigree Adoption Drive and Foundation (note: the campaign is being run in both Canada and the USA, but all of the links in this entry will be to the Canadian websites. You can check out the American site here).

In partnering itself with shelters across Canada and the USA, Pedigree is hoping to increase awareness about the thousands of dogs in need of loving homes and to provide financial support to its partner organizations. What it asks of its consumers is simple - "help us help dogs". The drive itself is three-fold:
1) Pedigree is encouraging people to adopt their next pet from a shelter. On their website they provide information on the adoption process and incentives for those who adopt through one of their partner shelters. They are also encouraging those who cannot adopt to volunteer their time at a local shelter.
2) They have set up a registered foundation through which people can make a tax-deductible donation to help shelters and rescue organizations. The goal for 2008 is to raise over $1 million.
3) Pedigree is pledging to donate a portion of each purchase of their dog food (up to $150 000 Canadian) throughout the year to its partners.



The TV spots tug at the heartstrings, tapping in on the heavy emotional response anticipated from Pedigree's target audience. Aside from its heart wrenching commercials, the brand has chosen to pair itself with a cause that is not only obviously tied to its product, but also to one that should already resonate with its consumers. Along for the ride as 3rd party endorsers are NASCAR driver Kyle Busch (he drives the Pedigree sponsored car) and ice skater Kurt Browning (who claims to not only love dogs, but that one taught him how to skate). The campaign website is also interactive, allowing pet owners to share their stories with the world.

While a few aspects may leave you scratching your head (putting a cap on the amount that will be donated from product sales for example, or the perhaps debatable choice of 3rd party endorsement), the campaign is overall an excellent example of PR in action. The company stays focused and ties its brand to a cause in a way that is not only obvious, but meaningful both in essence and to its target audience.