Category Archives: dogs in advertising

Subaru Supports Pet Organizations Through Adoption Events

Subaru of America announced the return of Subaru Loves Pets Month, a time dedicated to supporting and celebrating shelter pets through the Subaru Loves Pets initiative. Together with its nationwide network of retailers, Subaru is doubling down on efforts to unite animals with loving homes, with a special focus on the older, physically challenged and “different” dogs Subaru lovingly calls “Underdogs,” often the last to be adopted.

According to the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty of Animals), nearly 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide annually. To help find loving homes for these animals, more than 600 Subaru retailers will partner with local shelters, rescues and animal welfare organizations throughout October to host in-person and virtual adoption events. Participating retailers will donate $100 to the organizations for every pet adopted in October, up to $3,100. In addition, Subaru will donate $20 to the ASPCA with every purchase of select pet-friendly accessories, including pet harnesses, seat protectors and travel bowls, through Subaru Parts Online and $1 for each “Animal” badge ordered through Subaru Badge of Ownership throughout October.

“We advocate for adopting from pet organizations year-round, but October is particularly special as we devote the entire month to uniting pets across the country with the loving homes they deserve,” said Alan Bethke, senior vice president of marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. “Our Subaru community is incredibly passionate about animal welfare, and together with our retailers, we’re proud to help make the world a better place for pets everywhere.”

Subaru Loves Pets Month will culminate in the fourth annual National Make A Dog’s Day on Oct. 22, a Subaru holiday that invites dog-lovers everywhere to go the extra mile for their pup. To celebrate, Subaru invites dog owners to do something special for the furry friends in their lives and share on social media using #MakeADogsDay. For those who are yet to be pet parents, Subaru invites Americans to consider adopting a shelter pet or “Underdog.”   

Subaru has a long history of supporting pets in need and the Subaru Loves Pets initiative has helped support the adoption of nearly 60,000 animals from local animal welfare organizations. Since 2008, Subaru has donated more than $42 million to national and local organizations to support the rescue, transport, and adoption of nearly 350,000 pets.

Source: Pet Business

What does your car say about you?

This is an important question for someone like me, with a mobile practice.

Let me start by saying that I have never been a ‘car person.’ I don’t notice makes and models when I am out and about, and I most certainly do not follow things like car reviews or new model releases. I consider myself lucky to know that there are cars that run on petrol, diesel, hybrid and EVs. That’s where my car knowledge stops.

My 20-year old Toyota had served me well and I always said that 2022 was when it would be time for a replacement before it started costing me a lot of money. I also had to face it, the advertising on my car was starting to look dated because when we originally designed it, I did not have enough photos that were adequate and so we resorted to purchase a stock photo license for some of the design.

Here is what my tried and true Toyota looked like before I traded it in:

Last year, we filmed a customer story commercial for accounting company Xero and I had in my hands a number of professional-quality photos in addition to the few I had commissioned for my website and brochure several years earlier.

It was time for a refresh!

Things that were important to me in buying a new car and commissioning a new design were:

  • an economical vehicle with fuel efficiency and a degree of reliability. These are important for my bottom line and also because people rely on me to get to their homes on time and ready to work. I can’t have a car leaving me at the side of the road.
  • in terms of the business, I also think that my customers need to know that I am not wasteful with their money. Dog care is expensive and not subsidised in any way. Pet insurance doesn’t cover everything, even when you can afford a policy. Driving around in an expensive sports car or top-of-the-line SUV sends the wrong message, if you ask me. People work hard for their money and to take care of their dogs, my car had to reflect that.
  • retaining Izzy’s photo on the car in some way. Izzy was my canine sidekick in the last 7 years of the business which were our major growth years. I could not have done it without her and needed to honour her time with me
  • using photos of real dogs that portrayed the range of services I provide
  • retaining the Fear Free logo which I attained in 2018, becoming the first New Zealand-based Fear-Free certified professional working in canine massage and rehabilitation

I searched for another Toyota because they come up tops for reliability (this blog post is not being sponsored by Toyota in any way in case you are thinking that). And when I say ‘new car’ what I really mean is a new car to me – but secondhand in the marketplace. New cars are incredibly expensive and my Dad always said that once you drive a new car off the lot, 50% of its value is already gone.

In the end, I chose a blue Toyota Yaris because it had low mileage (a trade-in, not a Japanese import), a better safety rating, 4.5 star fuel efficiency and the right color to go with my branding.

What do you think?

Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

Scout: Super Bowl Ad Star

In the 2019 Super Bowl, Scout the Golden Retriever featured in an advertisement for WeatherTech and their PetComfort feeding system.

But this year, CEO David MacNeil  paid $6 million dollars for a 30-second ad that didn’t promote his business.  Rather, it featured Scout and the veterinary school in Wisconsin that saved his life.

In July 2019, Scout collapsed and was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer that formed in his heart.  Scout was treated at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and MacNeil decided to help them raise money for research by taking out the ad.

Here are both of Scout’s commercials:

 

Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

The Remler Radio Scottie Dog

On a recent layover in San Francisco International Airport, there was an exhibition on the history of radio and one of the companies featured was Remler Company Ltd, of San Francisco.  The company traded from 1918 to 1988.

A Scottie Dog (Scottish Terrier) featured as a brand motif on many of their radio models.

Here’s a selection of those I found on the internet:

Any of these radios, if you can afford them, would make an ideal ‘retro’ addition to a dog lover’s home.

Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

The Driving Lesson

Subaru has done it again with their latest dog-themed commercial.  Who doesn’t remember the challenges of learning to parallel park?

Subaru vehicles continue to rate highly among dog owners who are looking for space and amenity for the family dog; Subaru has done well to acknowledge and market to this powerful consumer group.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

Dogs in advertising

You wouldn’t think that a dog would help sell the services of a scaffolding company, would you?

But think again.

Access Solutions certainly got my attention with their billboard – which is in multiple locations around the city.

Access Billboard

Want effective advertising?  Use a dog!

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

Officer Goodboy

New Zealand takes biosecurity very seriously.  That’s because our economy relies on agricultural and horticultural production and because our relative isolation from other continents has kept us free from some pests and diseases.

One of the best parts of coming home from overseas is heading into the baggage area and seeing the Ministry of Primary Industries’ (MPI, for short) detector dogs doing their job.  Usually Beagles, but sometimes other breeds, these dogs are focused on sniffing your bags to see if they contain any at-risk items.

Last year, MPI created a commercial using Officer Goodboy to explain the entry procedures into New Zealand.  A very good use of dogs in advertising.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand

2 entertaining dog commercials

These two commercials, for Doritos and Amazon Prime, do a great job in using dogs to sell their products.  They certainly got my attention!

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

The Olympic diving dogs of Farmers Insurance

The Olympics are in full swing, covered in all forms of media but especially television.  I have to say that the Olympic-themed commercials in New Zealand are pretty bland.

My hat goes off to Farmers Insurance for their Flooded House Diving Dogs Competition commercial series – a great use of dogs and the Olympic theme.  A group of unattended dogs accidentally flood their home and compete in their own diving competiton.

There are eight commercials in the series starting with the Intro.  Once the Intro plays, simply click on the next video.

Enjoy watching Tank, Bubbles, Nacho, Churchill, Toby, Oksana and Montana…

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

 

Pets at Home

In the upcoming animated film The Secret Life of Pets, you may wonder if the pets and their antics are accurately depicted.

Well, the creative people at Realtor.com have taken scenes from the film and compared them to real life…

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand