Remember when you first learned how to drive? The feeling of accomplishment, excitement, freedom, success! Well, it might not be exactly the same feeling when a dog learns to drive, but there are still benefits. Last year in New Zealand, MINI teamed with the Auckland branch of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to show people how talented and smart its dogs were by teaching three dogs how to drive! (If you are doubter, make sure to watch the video at http://youtu.be/BWAK0J8Uhzk.)
This year the campaign was expanded to give all the other non-driving-doggie-adoptees a chance to drive around in a MINI as well. All adopted puppies brought home a free MINI car made from a cardboard box. The pup gets to “drive” home in the carry box, which then transforms into a dog bed for the pup’s first eight weeks.
And, staying true to the individuality highlighted by the MINI brand, the new pet/car owners could customize their car with personalized license plate and owner’s manual. A dog’s life looks pretty good in Auckland these days.
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Start by showing the YouTube video of the driving dogs of Auckland. http://youtu.be/BWAK0J8Uhzk
- Also bring up the Facebook/driving dogs site for the project. More stories and videos are available: https://www.facebook.com/drivingdogs/app_106365926195124
- Why is this campaign a successful partnership between a non-profit and for-profit organization?
- What other partnerships might make sense for MINI? For the SCPA?
- Divide students into teams. Have each team select a for-profit and non-profit and develop a marketing campaign.
Source: Ad Age Daily
