Adventures in Advertising

Published in Akita World Magazine, July-August 1993

A friend of mine who has been "in dogs" since the 60s has always said, "Advertising doesn't cost, it pays." For those can afford it, advertising can be a very effective means of getting judges and other fanciers to notice you and/or your dogs. I don't necessarily think that judges look through the gobs of dog magazines they receive every week to see whom they should put up. That would mean that they would have little self-confidence or a very poor opinion of their own judgment. Some may only look to see what dogs they may expect to see when judging in a given area. I know, even as a sweepstakes judge, I've seen ads for beautiful puppies and hoped that they might show under me. However, it can be (and often is) a tie-breaker. Considering some people have mortgaged their homes (this is true!) to advertise their dog, there must be some good reason for it.

Personally I haven't done much advertising in the weekly dog magazines (Canine Chronicle, Dog News, etc.) But I have done my fair share in some of the various Hoflin publications and breed newsletters. Over the years, I have learned what or what not to put into an ad, and get a good value for my advertising dollar. I know a particular ad has "done its job" when a judge comes up to me and casually mentions he liked the ad I had in The Malamute Quarterly magazine and that the dog in the ad looked like a really nice dog.

You can also see results from other inquiries ... I had a dog in 1986 that finished his championship very quickly and always took the most beautiful pictures. I ran two ads and received over 25 inquiries for stud service or puppies out of him. I was still receiving calls on the same ads three years later from other countries such as Belgium and South Africa. Unfortunately, he was dysplastic, so he was never used at stud, but it does illustrate quite dramatically the effect of a good idea.

The first and most critical part of your ad is the picture.

Make sure the picture is clear and the dog does not blend into the background. For instance, a dark dog with white feet and legs standing in the snow in front of someone in a dark coat is not going to show up well. You cannot see the legs of the topline. Hint: Since some colors show up in black and white pictures as quite dark, try making a photocopy of your picture. If it's clear in that copy, it will more than likely show up well in a black and white photo. Of course, if you can use color (many $$$), that's even better. Another pet peeve, don't use a picture of your dog standing in knee-high grass. It makes me wonder "What are they trying to hide?"
Many of the best ads I've seen are not even show pictures; let your dog loose (in a fenced-in area, of course), or take it to a scenic area (we're lucky because we're close to Lake Michigan) and have someone take pictures. I tmay take one or even more rolls of film, but I really love action shots and attractive backgrounds and they really catch the eye.
Head studies are also very pleasing (assuming your dog has a nice head). I've been fortunate that my father is quite a photographer and I have lovely headshots and other pictures of my dogs. Hint: When photographing a dog for a head study, it is very helpful to get the dog on a higher surface. Putting the dog on a grooming table has worked well for us. Get the ears up and go for it.
IF you are going to use a show picture, use the very BEST picture of your dog that you have, even if it's not the biggest win. I can't stress the importance of this enough. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. You can always spend a few extra bucks and put the judges' picture in as well if you feel it's necessary.

Next, decide who your audience is to be.

If you are advertising to other breeders, then you don't need to worry about having your face in the ad. Put a good picture in, maybe a pedigree, whatever you want. Try not to make it too crowded. anything over three or four pictures on a page makes for tiny pictures and copy and just looks jumbled. It's worth it to spend the extra money for another page and be able to see the pictures without a magnifying glass.
If your advertising is aimed at judges, you'd better make sure your face (or the handler's) is in the ad. While YOU may be able to tell your dog from another other similar dog in the ring, it's doubtful the judge will. Seeing your face can make the difference. As far as ad copy, make sure the dog's call name figure prominently in the ad (and make sure when you show your dog that you use the name frequently ... "BOZO , let's go," "BOZO, stand", etc.) Get your point across in as few words as possible. Highlight special wins such as specialties, Best in Show, etc. Remember, the more ad copy, the smaller the picture. If you can afford it, certainly go for the "preferred position" ads, e.g., front page, back page, page 1, inside front and back covers. They are more expensive, but they're worth it. (AW did not pay me to write this!)

Timing is everything. For a show ad, it is very important that you are going to be showing the dog at the time the ad comes out. I put an ad in the Chronicle and my bitch blew coat, so it did nothing for me at all.

One last thing, remember to clearly label your pictures with your name and address so that the publisher knows where to return the picture.

At the risk of being repetitive, judges get tons of magazines (free -- one darned good reason to become a judge). Do they read them all? I doubt it. I think many judges probably thumb through, possibly to see if their picture might be in there, and this may be your only opportunity to catch their eye. If you're artistic, make up a flashy logo or have one done if you like. You have far less time to catch a judge's attention in a magazine than you do in the ring.

Make those milliseconds count!

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