Church of the Customer Blog
« Baby's got a new pair of shoes | Main | Podcast as tour guide »
March 08, 2005
Baby's got a new pair of shoes
Strolling with me through downtown Chicago in beautifully balmy 64-degree weather Sunday, Mini generated a good deal of buzz.
Passersby on foot, in cars, buses and store windows did double-takes and pointed. If they were with someone, it was practically an autonomic reaction to say to their friend, "Look!" More than a few shrieked.
They were all gah-gah at Mini's hot-pink dog boots, zippered shoes with real rubber treads, ideal for an urban jungle of mud, broken glass and who-knows-what. (Close-up picture here.) I heard at least a dozen instances of "Oh my gosh, that is SOOOOOO cute!" One guy stopped dead in his tracks and just stared.
My guess is at least 100 people extrovertly reacted to seeing Mini's boots; the visceral reactions were clearly buzz-inducing. I saw them spread to others nearby. I would conservatively guess at least half of those people probably told at least one or two other people at home that day they saw "a dog wearing pink shoes."
The particular pair Mini owns are from the Little Lily company. But why the buzz? My guesses:
* Dogs wearing shoes are about as common as, um, dogs wearing shoes.
* The design is eye-catching.
* Mini is a great model (of course I would say that).
Little Lily could do a lot more to spread the buzz. Sadly, their website is under construction, and the company doesn't show up in the first 10 pages of Google results for "dog shoes" or "dog boots." Another "little" company -- Little Earth -- has the right idea to create Brag Tags for proud owners to spread buzz. I could have easily handed out a good dozen on Sunday to inquisitive gawkers.
Despite the state of Lily's online presence (Carson Kressley would probably call it "tragic"), I think the shoes are great. You'll find them through specialty dog shops or online (I found the pair from shopping at a local boutique pet store). Since Little Lily doesn't help you locate the shoes, here's a pointer to the cheapest ones I've found online.
UPDATE (3/14/05): I misidentified the maker of the boots in the original post. They are from Gooby, not Little Lily.
It was a dumb mistake since I had thrown away the packaging and looked online for the boots. I'd found what looked to be the pair, which were the shoes from Little Lily. Gooby didn't show up in any of the Google results, so I didn't realize they weren't the pair I'd actually bought.
All of which brings up a marketing dynamic you probably would not see between Adidas and Nike: marketplace confusion. Little Lily has been around longer, but Gooby's are, in my opinion, a higher quality boot with their thick rubber soles (Little Lilly's have vinyl soles). Gooby's are less expensive, too. You'll find them at boutique pet stores and online.
Other blogs that reference Baby's got a new pair of shoes:
» Changing Times from think again, ideas that move people
Escapable Logic blog, Britt Blaser’s post, The Packets Kept Flowing, "…so why the breathless amaze [Read More]
» ExerSaucer Mega in Safari Print from The Babies Blog
For babies who can [Read More]
I'm laughing so hard. This is so-o-o-o over the top pet-owner devotion! Very cool. I understand completely with 2 pets at home. Thanks!
And make me 101++++ to say "She is soooooo cute!" Mini definitely knows she is all that (and then some). Look at her standing like a Hollywood diva with her right front paw just that little bit out to showcase her to-die-for Little Lily's. SJP never showcased her Manolo's better than Mini does her pink boots. You go, dog girl!
Not to mention a great reminder of all the daily opportunities for evangelism.....
Has anyone else noticed how much the pup's eyes look like Jackie's?! Uncanny. (Or should I say, un-canine-y?!)
My yorkshire terrier "buttons" is a real fan of doggie fashion items. He struts like a little prince and is so proud of all the tiny fashion wardrobe items I buy for him.
Some people say it's cruel to dress dogs as humans but when you see the sparkle in my little angels eyes when we go shopping then you would quickly change your mind.
Thank you very much for the great information-
Thanks
511 pants
