Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Niccole

I can't see any problem with either name. Anecdotally, I'm Australian, we have a couple of dogs and when out walking we do meet a lot of Max's. So it works for me.

Not quite as sure about Josie - I know where you've got the idea from, but is Josie a very common cat's name? If it was me I'd probably go with Felix, but I am not at all convinced it would make the slightest difference to a vet. Either name will surely resonate with them. I'm sure it won't get lost - the opposite, in fact!

Good luck with your launch.

ChrisB

Dear Niccole,

It's most certainly NOT a silly question, and I think the name Max is fine. But is your question about the name of the dog the RIGHT question?

I'm asking this because you may need to ask the following, possibly more pertinent question: regardless of the dog's name, why am I sending this message, to this group, at this point in time and what action do I want them to take as a result of having read my message?

If you want vets to remember the name Max in a deeper way, consider folding the name Max into a teaser campaign of postcards or billboards "Max, fetch!", "Max, sit!", "Honey, have you noticed Max's (problem or condition)?"

Over time, this then connects the name Max to the problem in a more compelling way. Max's name then connects the problem to the solution offered by your product. So your message becomes anchored by Max.

If you have no compelling answer to the initial question I suggested, do you run the risk of your message falling flat? And if if that's the case, doesn't the name of the dog then become moot?

我不想是一个聪明的亚历克在这里,我简单suggesting you ask a different question.

To make an impact—to have an effect—doesn't it make more sense to focus on the single most important concern or problem your vets have and how your product or service is the cure or the solution for that problem?

What's of greatest relevance and significance in terms of the result or action you want to see vets take as a result of having received your message?

If the dog's name is the most compelling and memorable portion of your campaign, you might want to rethink your reasons for sending your message.

True, the dog's name can be a connection to raise awareness when dogs with that name come in to the relevant surgeries, but will a vet really connect the dog's name with your message when the vet in question is up to his or her armpits in dog?

Probably not.

The only way to know how the prospect connects the dog's name with the product is to split test your message and then test pre and post message recall. But even then, if the name of the dog is the most memorable point of your campaign, why are you sending your message?

Again, I'm not attempting to be a smarty pants, I just think it's worth considering in order to generate the most return or action.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Thanks ChrisB and W.M.M.A for your input! It's great to get some feedback.

Gary- Wow, thanks for taking the time to provide that insight- in answer to some of the questions you posed, here's a bit more about the campaign:

We are a 24-Hour Pet Ambulance Service. We have two primary types of call-outs-- those that are initiated from a pet's home or other non-vet location, and vet-to-vet transfers. We have significant experience in emergency and critical care medicine, and are fully equipped with medical oxygen, first aid supplies, etc.

麻痹蜱虫季节已经开始在悉尼,和经常en pets affected with tick paralysis require respiratory support- sometimes they just need oxygen supplementation, sometimes they need to be intubated and ventilated. To remind vets that our service is available, particularly for these critical cases that need to go from a general practice to an after-hours facility for overnight monitoring, we are developing a marketing campaign. The first part of the campaign is the postcard, which says "This is Max (or Josie, or Bob, or whatever we decide)" with a picture of a border collie. On the back it goes into Max's story-- the main points we want to get across are: 1. Because someone at the vet clinic remembered us, we were able to transport Max on oxygen, kept him ventilated, and he made it safely to the after-hours hospital. 2. Without our service, he would not have made it. 3. Show them our capabilities - we talk about using the stretcher, monitoring his blood oxygenation with a pulse oximeter, etc. (essentially telling them all the fancy monitoring and treatment equipment we have on hand, without saying "We have: ...".)

We have a whole range of other cases to do similar postcards for different seasons, as well as a range of cases to continue the promotion through our website and social networking sites (This is Petal, this is Coco, etc.)

SO-- the campaign (which we are currently calling "This is PetMedics") sounds great to us, but we're struggling to figure out how to execute it. My partner and I have very different ideas on how the copy should be written- should it be emotional or technical? The target audience is Vets and Vet Staff, so I think we need to get the human element through, but we also need them to know that we know what we are talking about.

I'd love to hear any more suggestions you (or anyone else reading this!) might have.

Thanks again,

Nic