Page 136 - ShowSight - February 2020

Rebranding the Breeder
BY DAN SAYERS, ARTWORK BY DAN SAYERS
IT’S TIME TO CONESIDER NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES
verything is marketing. This neatly packaged
proverb was told to me by an advertising executive who enjoyed his fair share of success merchandising everything from prime rib to primetime televi- sion series. Marketing, he explained, is creating a desire in one person to purchase something that another person wishes to sell. Simple, right?
But shifting consumer trends, changing technologies and global- ization have changed the rules dramatically since my impresario friend made his statement. Just ask any grocer, bookseller or postal worker. Heck, ask any responsible purebred dog breeder. Placing purposefully-bred puppies in suitable homes has never been more challenging than it is today.
The proliferation of designer dog suppliers and retail rescuers on the Internet has forced preservation breeders to reassess their abil- ity to supply dogs in the digital age. No longer will an ad placed in the Sunday paper offering AKC puppies reach potential puppy buy- ers. Instead, today’s purebred pups must be presented in a virtual marketplace where knock-offs are indistinguishable from originals. Websites have become the great advertising equalizers. Today’s typi- cal puppy buyer doesn’t recognize the difference between a Doo- dle and a Dandie. More importantly, she can’t tell the difference between the producer of the former and the breeder of the latter. In some circles, the term “breeder” has even become a bad word. As a result, the fancy has rightfully gone on the defensive to promote the cause of purebred dog in America. But the time for reactionary measures has passed. To ensure the very survival of our recognized breeds, it’s time to consider new marketing strategies. Indeed, it’s time to rebrand the breeder.
Loosely defined, a “brand” is something unique that’s promoted for its distinctive reputation. Since its founding in 1884, the Ameri- can Kennel Club’s brand has represented individual breeders who produce puppies with a predictability of appearance, character and usefulness. For more than 135 years, these dedicated breeders have been considered experts in the development, care and placement of the puppies they produce. However, breeders today are increas- ingly viewed with suspicion—if not outright contempt—and the AKC brand is no longer strictly that of a registry whose studbooks are sacrosanct. In a very real sense, the sport of dogs in Amer- ica has already been re-branded. By allowing all dogs (including mixed-breeds and those of unknown parentage) to compete in an ever-expanding array of performance events, the AKC has made the breeder’s role less secure. Though it can be debated whether or not the changes made to date have been good for the interests of the dog sport, it cannot be argued that many purebred dog breeders are finding it necessary to rebrand themselves in the 21st century marketplace.
To assist breeders in these challenging times, it seems helpful to seek the advice of a rebranding specialist. In his DBD International blog titled, How to Rebrand: 19 Questions to Ask Before You Start, author and blogger David Brier provides a series of questions every
business leader, entrepreneur and startup should consider before embarking on a rebrand. The questions listed below (with responses offered by yours truly) are as thought-provoking to breeders wish- ing to secure a future for purebred dogs as they are crucial to the ambitions of today’s Fortune 500 CEOs:
1. Why are we doing a rebrand? Unlike the “Adopt Don’t Shop” mantra of the AR movement, the sport of purebred dogs is without a single, clear message. “Breed Not Greed” could be a useful antidote. Preservation over profit should be the message communicated.
2. What problem are we attempting to solve? Due to a lack of awareness, the survival of many recognized breeds is uncertain. Decreasing registrations portend a dubious future for once familiar breeds that have become threat- ened. The public needs to be alerted to the very real threat of extinction for many breeds.
3. Has there been a change in the competitive landscape that is impacting our growth potential? Today’s puppy buyer has more options, but less direction. The appeal of the AKC-registered purebred has been challenged by the proliferation of online rescue retailers and designer dog “registries.” In an age of instant gratification, the value of a pedigree has been diminished.
4. Has our customer profile changed? Yes. Today’s typical puppy buyer is really in search of a partner. Many consider themselves “pet parents” who may or may not be looking for those qualities inherent in a specific breed. In fact, many wish to be their dog’s “hero” rather than its “human.”
5. Are we pigeonholed as something that we (and our cus- tomers) have outgrown? Puppy buyers are seeking faithful friends online, purebred or not. In the virtual world, the selection of breeding stock is meaningless and dog shows are often viewed as elitist. Breeders must present their dogs through appealing images and videos, not simply with titles and test scores.
6. Does our brand tell the wrong (or outdated) story? To many dog lovers today, pedigree is synonymous with privi- lege. Puppy buyers are just as likely to desire a dog for its tragic backstory as they are its breed’s legacy of service to humankind. A pedigree has to be personal for it to have any meaning. >
134 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020