A Man's Best Friend: Check out how this 2015 campaign highlighted the healing power of dogs!

Thursday: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Have you already heard about guerrilla marketing? For those of you who haven’t yet, allow me to explain it briefly: Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional strategy that is simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and sometimes, inexpensive. I personally like this strategy because it has the ability to provide fresh and captivating ideas on how businesses and marketers can get their target audience’s attention. Professionals in this field should utilize such a strategy. Do you want to know an example of guerrilla marketing? Read the article below. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

A Man's Best Friend: Check out how this 2015 campaign highlighted the healing power of dogs! What do you think makes a dog a “man’s best friend”? Its friendly character? Its loyalty? Its non-discriminatory nature? In 2015, one campaign used this idea to stomp down societal biases in Moscow, Russia. Let’s talk about that in detail below… Bring Out the Good: How One Pet Food Brand Used Dogs to Spread Kindness Among Humans There were about 146 million people living in Russia in 2015—70,000 of which were born with Down Syndrome (DS). Yet, of such a HUGE population, only four people born with DS got officially employed in the country. Yes, you read that right. Only four. [Down Syndrome: A genetic condition where a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21.] That’s quite a gap in the numbers, right? Unfortunately, even until now, some parts of Russian society still reject people with DS. It is believed that these people are incapable of working, and so employers refuse to hire such. This is one of the most pressing yet totally ignored social problems in Russia: Giving—or not giving—people with DS a chance to live a full life. So, in a bid to tackle societal misconceptions and employers’ frequent rejection of people with DS, pet food company Pedigree, marketing agency BBDO Moscow, and charitable fund Downside Up delivered an excellent campaign called… The “pUp Syndrome”! The campaign was inspired by Pedigree’s global creative campaign “Feed the Good,” which was based on a simple idea that dogs help bring out the good in people. Taking a fresh look at this concept, the “pUp Syndrome” showcased that dogs are not just animals; they are also friends who don’t notice any disabilities and accept everyone as they are. So, how did the campaign play out? The campaign team asked a professional dog hotel in Moscow to hire people with DS—those who face the tough reality of life-long unemployment in the country. Once the dog hotel agreed to the conditions of the campaign team, the staff then started inviting five young people with DS to spend time working there. This gave them the opportunity to look after and care for a bunch of four-legged furry friends while away from their owners. The young people were asked to work at the dog hotel for three months. During this time, their responsibilities involved: Training, walking, feeding, and brushing the dogs Cleaning rooms and kennels Giving the dogs extra care The program began with an “attentive adaptation” stage, during which the five young people were under the supervision of dog experts and psychologists who aided them in a controlled environment. The second part of the program was the “free adaptation” stage, where the young people—now possessing a greater understanding of their jobs—were given more freedom and independence to carry out their duties. The experience provided the five young people with an invaluable experience: The chance to work and be wholly responsible for looking after the dogs in a high-profile way. The result? These people with DS coped with EVERY SINGLE TASK and showed the entire country that people with DS are willing and able to work, and they can become smart, dependable employees. There’s more! The “pUp Syndrome” campaign also became the “First Professional Adaptation Programme” for people with DS in Russia. Way to go, Pedigree, BBDO Moscow, and Downside Up! Was the “pUp Syndrome” campaign effective? The ideation for the “pUp Syndrome” campaign began in May 2015, with the preparation stage lasting until November 2015. Then, from December 2015 to February 2016, the professional adaptation took place in a dog hotel in Moscow. However, the campaign was more than just a feel-good stunt for Pedigree. In fact, the pet food brand's owner, Mars, publicly pledged to employ people with DS in its Ulyanovsk dog center as a result of the “pUp Syndrome.” Now that’s what we mean when we say impact and application! Below are other results of the campaign: The documentary about the campaign garnered about 24 million views in just a span of a week The campaign recorded a total of 201 million media impressions throughout its duration. The campaign was featured in over 7,000 media publications during and after its run, and covered by the Russian national TV twice at prime time. The campaign gained more than USD 1 million in earned media. The “pUp Syndrome” generated lots of buzz worldwide and was the first time in history that the topic was raised in Russia. Downside Up recorded an increase of interest of potential employers who wanted to follow the campaign’s example. Due to increased demand, Downside Up also opened a new department dedicated to professional adaptation of people with DS. Clearly, these results are screaming A.W.E.S.O.M.E! Congratulations, Pedigree, BBDO Moscow, and Downside Up for putting up such an incredible campaign! *Applause* — As you can see, there’s more to the “pUp Syndrome” campaign’s success than meets the eye. Its accomplishment is down not only to the heartwarming footage captured during the course of the campaign, but also because it has provided a platform for an important message to be shared on a global scale: People with DS are humans who deserve to be treated equally too. For the campaign team, this message cannot AND should not be overlooked—not by Russia or by any other country. The result? Not only did people become more appreciative of dogs as “man’s best friend,” but many eyes were also opened to the reality of what should be changed for the betterment of society. As a business owner or marketer, you can also take inspiration from this campaign! With a clear goal, a message to convey, and a creative idea, you can also come up with exciting and captivating campaigns that can bring out the good in people. Are you ready to “Feed the Good”? Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.     Do you want to know how one language learning app generated hype for its brand through a do over for a botched tattoo in 2023? See it in next week’s article!