February 17th, 2013
Dog Product & Pet Insurance PR With Bite!
I have spent some time over the last few days producing press materials specifically targeted at dog owners and dog magazines, the theme of my children’s first detective book being decidedly doggy.
This is a market that I’ve dealt with in depth over the years, having worked on various products for the dog market, written a travel booklet for dog owners, promoted dog arthritis supplements and launched, promoted and won PR accolades for Primary Direct pet insurance.
As a former dog owner myself, I understand how the mind of the dog owner works and have always used this within my campaigns. The first hugely successful campaign that I created for this market was for a dog seatbelt, which keeps both pooch and driver safe should heavy braking occur and the dog be shot forwards (with the impact of a baby elephant, I seem to recall, at certain speeds).
My travel guide focused on where to take your dog within the South Lakes, whether that is when you wish to stay overnight, enjoy a pint at the bar, or take to the fells. The South Lakes Doggy Pawsport was produced twice and even included information on where to access emergency veterinary care and the role of mountain rescue dogs within Cumbria.
For Primary Direct Pet’s PR campaign, I barked up many trees, focusing on the costs of veterinary care, how to keep your dog healthy, discrepancies in pricing for some breeds, cost comparisons between different pet insurance products and case studies. This was all very inventive, which is why it won a PR award – quite rare for such a niche product.
All of this PR experience within the world of dogs, pets and pet insurance (well all kinds of insurance actually) really ought to be better used, as I love dealing with this subject matter and can be very creative with it. Hopefully, my launch releases for my book will generate some good coverage in the doggy press and encourage dog lovers to download the children’s novel for their kids and grandkids, so they can also appreciate the special bond between dog and owner. Research shows that more of us would share a secret or worry with a dog than with a partner … somehow, that doesn’t surprise me!
