AWARD CATEGORY Viral Promotion
CAMPAIGN PetStyle.com
AGENCY DataPositive
CLIENT PetStyle.com
PetStyle.com launched in late 2006 and initially created awareness among pet owners through paid placements on search engines and online banner ads. But in its first four months, the site attracted only 4,000 registrants.
A privately funded, ad-supported start-up with minimal marketing resources, PetStyle sought assistance from DataPositive to draw more Web traffic, and get a bigger bite out of those surfers checking out the site. DataPositive immediately initiated a gift-for-registration program for pet owners and their primarily four-legged loved ones. The first registration incentive proved to be an inspired choice: it was a T-shirt bearing the slogan “I Like It Ruff” with the www.petstyle.com address.
Registrations jumped to 76,000 within a month as the result of the T-shirt offer, generating a lot of word-of-mouth mileage.
“The fact that PetStyle was a start-up, they were willing to push the envelope,” recalls Mark Valva, DataPositive CEO and founder. “We wanted to create something people could see in Central Park on Sunday while they’re walking their dog.”
PetStyle was obviously barking up the right tree. Lacking a budget that could accommodate traditional mass advertising, DataPositive took the viral route through blogs, message boards and user-generated content sites, including MySpace.
“From there, we actually did see others pick up on the message and post it on their own,” says Valva, “and that’s what we had hoped for.”
On the heels of the T-shirt offer, DataPositive came with a series of other relatively cheap but appealing premiums each month, including dog tags and water bowls. “Obviously, the goal of our client was to find the least expensive but the highest perceived premium value,” says Valva.
Tying the premiums to registrations also served a greater goal: ensuring that the site visitors were, indeed, animal lovers who would remain loyal. Not only did they register, but 67% of the registrants opted to receive the PetStyle newsletter.
“In today’s environment, success is based on hitting the numbers and creating word-of-mouth buzz,” says Diana Garcia Farrell, PetStyle marketing director. “When consumers take that extra step to tell others about your brand in a positive way — that’s really the home run.”
Ultimately, over the course of the 11-month viral campaign, PetStyle looked like a much bigger dog, drawing nearly 200,000 registrants compared to the original group of 4,000.
And it all started with a T-shirt and some viral seeds. “It was a real testament to a simple tried-and-true concept of a gift with purchase and relatively outstanding creative,” says Valva. “It’s almost like what was once considered old can be new again when you employ new tactics.”
— Richard Tedesco
IDEA TO STEAL
PREMIUM REGISTRATION
DataPositive drove registrations for PetStyle with an inexpensive set of premiums, and plugs planted on no-cost Web sites. That kept costs low, while the registration tact promised a constant database that enhanced shareholder value and improved perceived value of the site to advertisers.
Network
