Dogs, Men and Doghouses
By George Anderson
You've heard the expression that "men are dogs." Well, according to one of our favorite surveys of all time, they aren't dogs but wish they were.
Way back in 2000, a site called FindWhat.com reported that women placed the family pet ahead of their husbands on the priority list for buying gifts for the holiday season.
We remember thinking when we first saw the study that there was no real news there. After all, don't all women put the children, extended family, friends, co-workers, the family pet, and those in need ahead of their husbands for the holidays? It couldn't just be true in the Anderson household. The male head of household gets a gift only if time allows and the plastic isn't maxed out, right?
Well now, another holiday season is here and, faced with the prospects of socks, underwear or something else similarly exciting under the tree, we are being reminded by J.C. Penney that we don't have the luxury of finding the wrong gift for our partner.
The department store has relaunched its "Beware of the Doghouse" viral campaign on www.BewareoftheDoghouse.com (of course) to let men know the fate that awaits them for giving really bad gifts instead of purchasing from Penney's "exciting selection of stylish and affordable fine jewelry gifts."
Last year, more than seven million visitors went to the website, logging more than 14 million total video views.
Discussion Questions: How much help do you think consumers, male or female, need in finding the right gifts for their spouses this holiday season? Are campaigns such as Penney's "Doghouse" appreciated and does this translate into added sales?
