The Black Dog

Robert Douglas had a dream to sail his own ship from one coastal town to the next, discovering the best places to drop anchor and call home for a week. Once Douglas reached Martha’s Vineyard, he found no reason to leave. He purchased a small inn on the harbor that overlooked his ship and welcomed other sailors for the night. Douglas, along with his black labrador, was ecstatic about his new home but thought the island had so much more to offer its year-round residents. Writing the idea on a napkin one night, The Black Dog Tavern was born and has since become a favorite restaurant for many islanders and tourists.

It did not take long to figure out that in order to survive on the island, Robert Douglas had to come up with other ideas.  He put an image of his dog on a t-shirt and so far history was made.  During the 1990’s the Black Dog t-shirt was seen on many celebrities and was also seen in national publications.  When Bill Clinton was president, he spent his vacations on the island and a photograph of him wearing a Black Dog t-shirt while he was jogging got attention world-wide.

For some time, The Black Dog products could sell themselves because it became somewhat exclusive.  In order to get a coveted t-shirt, you had to go to the restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard to buy one. Customers saw the dog logo t-shirts as a status symbol. It was cool to wear one. It was a matter of time when Douglas and his marketing team knew that growth of the company required clever marketing and branding.  In doing so, The Black Dog decided to focus their attention on New Englanders. Douglas began opening stores to sell merchandise with The Black Dog logo on it. 

Advertising is costly but has great benefits if done correctly. The Black Dog teamed up with the Boston Bruins.  The Black Dog advertises on the steps inside the TD Garden, strategically placed behind the bench, visible to all watching national television. The colors match perfectly with the team uniform colors. Brand association with the Bruins has helped create a product associated with champions. Sports teams are excellent avenues of advertising if a company can associate with one. This approach has been successful for The Black Dog.

The company's affiliation with the Boston Bruins goes deeper than just advertisements. The Black Dog wanted to give back to its Massachusetts community in a special way. The company paired with The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), a non-profit that helps animals find adopted homes, and the Boston Bruins Foundation. I believe The Black Dog marketing team is brilliant and signing with the Bruins scored them a goal. Marketing matters and when customers see that a company puts the time and effort into their products and services as well as bettering the community around them, the relationship between buyer and seller strengthens.

The Black Dog products give their customers a good feeling and a good reason to buy their products.