Who needs a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch?
Big Lots stages a "Battle for Ultimate Cuteness" between dogs and babies to promote the retailer's American Kennel Club Select products for dogs and B*loved line of baby goods.
Episodes of the not-so-epic war for supremacy pit kids against pups in competitions ranging from an election-style debate ("Goo-goo," "Arf"—both make good points) to a chess match with ridiculously outsized pieces (I thought the pooch was going for a Ruy Lopez, but it just wanted to gnaw on the queen). In most cases, the tykes were teamed with their own family pets to ensure harmony on the set.
OKRP created the campaign for maximum sharing across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and consumers can use the hastags #TeamDoggies or #TeamBabies to indicate which side they favor. (Unless they have lives, of course.)
Originally, Big Lots planned two separate campaigns backing each product line, but the agency decided to double down. "We have less than three seconds to get customers' attention on social platforms and thought we'd play to the most popular Internet content," says OKRP's Tom O'Keefe. "Nothing seems to activate social sharing and comments like funny and cute, and there's no subject that can deliver that better than doggies and babies."
I can think of one species that might disagree.