Saving Dogs to Save People's Lives: Discover how this campaign gave rescue dogs a second chance at life!
| From the desk of Miles Everson: Hello! One of the reasons I love Thursday is because I get to talk about guerrilla marketing. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this yet, guerrilla marketing is an unconventional strategy that is simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and sometimes, inexpensive. I am personally fond of this because it reminds me that we can never run out of creative ways to get our target audience hooked. Today, we’ll talk about a guerrilla marketing tactic that’s not just fun but also heartwarming. Keep reading below to know how one campaign gave abandoned dogs a second chance at life… and a productive one at that! |
Saving Dogs to Save People's Lives: Discover how this campaign gave rescue dogs a second chance at life! What tricks can you teach dogs? Rolling over? Playing dead? Shaking hands? If you ask people at advertising company VML, they’ll tell you dogs (even old ones) can learn major, advanced tricks that can impact humanity for the better. In fact, the firm proved this in 2022! How? Through a campaign that showed dogs’ remarkable ability to sniff out danger or trouble… Giving Abandoned Dogs a Second Chance at Life How do you solve a problem in remote areas of the globe? According to statistics, over half of the world’s population still has limited access to critical medical diagnostics… especially those living in remote communities. Early detection is vital to survive cancer and many other diseases, yet in some regions, patients must travel for days to reach hospitals and medical centers to perform basic health checks. What’s more? There is also a global problem of stray dogs. However, if trained, these dogs could live happy AND productive lives. So, it makes sense to bring these two issues (limited medical access in remote communities and the problem of stray dogs) together to deliver a powerful solution for both! In 2022, VML, canine medical detection unit KDog, and international cancer research group French-Brazilian Society of Oncology (SFBO) worked together to launch a life-changing campaign. The name of the campaign? “Dogs Without Borders!”
The initiative, which is still ongoing, is radically changing the medical care system for about half of the world’s population that lacks access to basic diagnostics. At the center of this project are rescue dogs that have been trained to detect breast cancer and other diseases like malaria, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. These dogs are then deployed all across the world, from villages deep in the Amazon or to mountaintops in the far reaches of Spain. The animals often perform their assigned task more accurately than conventional tests (and more quickly too!), with results in just 15 to 30 seconds. So, how does the detection play out? Bone-shaped “odor collection kits” are handed to locals in Brazil, Morocco, and Spain, containing all the information they need for the collection of samples:
The kit is designed to withstand harsh environments. After collection, the odor samples are sniffed by the dogs. When a dog quickly sniffs and passes by a sample, that means the person is safe.
However, when a dog sniffs a sample and lingers there, that raises a red flag for both the campaign team and the person owning the sample. He or she would then be sent for further diagnostics and treatment. The dogs’ sniffing abilities return with 100% accuracy. People whose samples were suspected by the medical dogs found that they do have a health concern that needs to be treated as early as possible. According to Dr. Carla Ismael, CEO of KDog: “Dogs Without Borders is a unique project that delivers a scalable solution to two long-standing issues—abandoned dogs left to die and remote communities without basic diagnostics. It gives people living in isolated areas access to diagnostic healthcare for the first time.” Additionally, Natxo Diaz, Chief Creative Officer of VMLY&R Health Spain, said: “Everybody loves, or at least most people love, dogs. There’s something touching in the fact that even the most forgotten dogs, ones that have been confined to cages, can have a mission in life. We all have a mission and for these dogs, it is one that we didn’t expect—to save lives.” Was “Dogs Without Borders” a “sniffing” success? So far, over 1,000 patients have been diagnosed under the campaign across Brazil, Morocco, and Spain. The collected samples not only helped save lives that could be lost if patients go undiagnosed, but also became a tool for future research and dog training. Additionally, in the campaign’s first year, SFBO has received enquiries to turn “Dogs Without Borders” into a non-governmental organization (NGO) in its own right. Below are other results of the campaign:
Clearly, these results show that “Dogs Without Borders” truly pulled on the public’s heart strings and attracted support from them—two of the things dogs are initially good at! Congratulations, VML, KDog, and SFBO! *Applause* “Dogs Without Borders” reflects a step change in creativity when it comes to advertising in the health sector. According to Diaz, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which put health under the microscope across the globe, it is not surprising that health has become a place for “constant creativity.” In his words: “Everyone has their eye on their health. We had been living for so long with the uncertainty of what is going to happen with our health. Now all the brands understand that people look after their health more.” Additionally, the success of the campaign is at its heart a story of the success of cross-country collaboration. This shows that when brands focus on doing things that have an impact, they can genuinely make a difference. Are you inspired by today’s guerrilla marketing topic? We hope you do! Find your own brand’s creative momentum about transformative ideas and implement those strategically! In other words… Aim for a creative outcome whose ripple effects are nothing short of LIFE-CHANGING. Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. EXCITING NEWS AHEAD The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool. With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent. With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available for pre-order on Amazon! Free Birds Revolution: The Future of Work & The Independent Mind This is an essential read for both independent professionals and corporate executives. Here, we provide educational and practical guides to unpack the ever-growing workforce and offer you crucial ways to become a client of choice. Click on the link above to pre-order your copy. Let this book help you future-proof your career and organization in the new world of work. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how this pharmaceutical brand tried to solve a problem that affects many adults and children in the U.S.? Find out in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
