One of the great perks of my job, and living in Nashville, is that I have the opportunity to meet and work with great people (and dogs too). Many times their famous, like here with international superstar, Doug the Pug. Over the last couple of years, I am so grateful to have Leslie and Rob come speak to my social media marketing class. They have detailed their journey from working in the Nashville music business to transitioning to online sensations. (Note: If you have never read their story, the Huffington Post article is a must read.) Having them outline theirsuccess relative to their posting strategies is invaluable to our Belmont students. Coincidentally, Leslie is a Belmont alumni, so she loves coming back to speak with them.
I think at some level, the students feel like they have a more personal and intimate bond with Doug due to Leslie once being a Belmont student herself, as seen in the picture to the right. They go nuts over Doug! But who doesn’t. Even I have Doug listed as “See First” in my Facebook News Feed. I can’t help but watch his daily antics and pizza craving behavior. Still, I have to say, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Video is still one of my favorites. The amazing thing is that Doug is so chill. He comes into our classroom (he’s a registered as a service dog so he can come into our campus buildings) and just hangs out. Sometimes he works the room and says hello to all the students and sometimes he just sits in the chair and listens to Leslie and Doug speak on their experiences. He really is an amazing dog.
But don’t be deceived, obviously the real brain trust here is Leslie and Rob. They are creative geniuses and have capitalized on every PR opportunity that can muster. Leslie shows the students all of the celebrities they (Doug) has hung out with, including Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato, Steven Tyler, and the list goes on and on. But what it really comes down to is a strategic branding plan. They have a specific formula for success and they are so kind to share that with us. I know it seems hard to believe, but some students wrestle with their success and how they can quit their careers to manage their dog, but believe it. They have never regretted a single day of it.
We are fortunate at the Social Media Magnet to be allowed to feature Doug in our branding chapter and share some insights into their success. We can’t give away all their strategic secrets and intellectual property, but they are kind enough to let us talk about their branding, and we are extremely grateful. We continue to follow and track their careers, and wish them the utmost success. We love you guys! And thanks for including us in your world:
If you are Marketing or Communications professor curious about The Social Media Magnet, check our professor overview with highlights of our features and benefits. If you would be interested in considering The Social Media Magnet for your university, we have a professor preview function that would allow you to work with some of the content, even our chapter on branding with Doug the Pug. Or if you just have some general questions, feel free to contact us. We would love to assist you however possible.