HOT DOG: Builders use dogs to help sell homes

When it comes to selling houses, advertising campaigns are going to the dogs.

Dogs and family living seem to go hand in hand (Or is that hand in paw?) and, well, they're just so doggone cute.

Canines, in particular a mutt named Buddy, a Big Red Dog named Clifford and a drooling unnamed bulldog, have become sideshow barkers beckoning passers-by to visit area builders' new-home developments.

"If it's not a US Home, I'm not moving," states Buddy, US Home's spokesdog, in a variety of print and electronic ads.

Getting a dog is often a top priority for many families after they move into a new home with a yard, said Vicki Zoot, vice president of sales for US Home's Las Vegas division.

Victor Allen, director of advertising for KB Home, agreed.

"If you really ask yourself why do you want to live in a house and not an apartment, one of the things that comes to mind is the yard. We like the association that our homes are ideal for pet owners," he said.

A study by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association showed they aren't barking up the wrong tree. It revealed that approximately 40 million homes, or four out of 10 households, have at least one dog.

To Zoot, an avowed pet lover whose office is peppered with pooches and even had a street named after one of her poodles, Mandy Scarlett, the dog campaign was the pick of the litter.

She had already arranged for US Home to sponsor pet adoptions at its new-home developments and loved the idea when it was first suggested to her. Still, Zoot showed sample ads from several family-oriented campaigns to co-workers in the division's corporate office. Everyone kept going back to the dog idea; it evoked good emotions in all of them, she said.

Launched in February, the advertising campaign grew. Zoot said she has been amazed by the response from people throughout the valley about the dog.

"People would say what a cute dog (in the ads) even when I was out shopping."

Eventually, it was called to their attention that their spokesdog didn't have a name and a contest was started.

"It was the only contest we've ever had where people argued about the rules," Zoot said.

"We loved the idea," Allen said about incorporating Clifford into a recent campaign.

Norman Bridwell's stories for children focus on a dog who grew so big that his family had to move from their apartment to a house.

"That is why Clifford the Big Red Dog is such a natural fit. One of the great things about owning your own home is you can have pets without any problems," Allen said. "Not only is it (Clifford) a great story, it appeals to our biggest customer base."

Allen said that 73 percent of KB's customers are families with young children.

"The best response we got was when we actually had Clifford at the event. ... We gave away books and videos, but our biggest draw, hands down, was the opportunity to meet Clifford. Kids really wanted to come out and see Clifford. It was great because families got to see our homes, too," he said.

"And because Clifford the Big Red Dog is all about being big, it helped tell about the big value you get for your dollar at KB," said Allen, who owns two big dogs.

In addition, the campaign allowed the builder "to have fun things that we really like to do" including pet adoptions and a "Smallest Hound in Town" contest that attracted more than 200 dogs.

D.R. Horton's bulldog drools over the builder's "big yards" and "low prices." It also touts their three-car "grrrages."

Amy Gallagher, merchandising coordinator for the builder's Las Vegas division, said the dog is an "eye catcher." It has been featured in the ads accompanying the new-home subdivision map in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sun's Real Estate section for the past few months.

Gallagher said she uses the dog because it's cute and provides brand recognition for D.R. Horton. It is featured only in the map ads.

She said the maps are effective, but she is not sure if the dog's appearance has helped the company's sales because she doesn't have those type of statistics.

Builders are not the only ones in the dog-eat-dog world of home sales. Realty firm Coldwell Banker features a golden retriever throughout its appeals to potential home buyers.

Bob Hamrick, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Premier Realty in Las Vegas, said the dog is a "soft way of identifying with many people."

He said his firm finds the dog "attracts attention" and gives its advertising a "warm type of look that people can relate to."

The company's "personal retriever" is prominently featured on its Web site helping guide buyers through the process of finding a home and Realtor.

In addition, the retriever has been made into a rider with paws that hang over the top of yard signs in front of properties for sale, holding information from its mouth.

"Clearly, signs are an important part of the mix of how a home gets noticed and sold," said Regina Taylor, senior vice president of marketing for Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corp.

"This idea represents something that reinforces our brand strategically and creates differentiation because it is also just plain fun."

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