Your dog may never make it as beagle Miss P, Westminster Kennel Club winner of Best in Show award 2015,
but he or she may still have a chance to become a star of YouTube or fish to a modeling contract based on a photo of Instagram.It happened Tuna a Chiweenie Chihuahua and Dachshund mix. This Internet unlikely star, found as a stray in a farmer's market in California, has over a million followers on Instagram (http://instagram.com/tunameltsmyheart) because of its cartoony bite. A book, "The Underdog with Overbite", will be released in two weeks with a list price of $ 14.95.
At the pinnacle is a dog named Boo, a Pomeranian with 17 million fans on Facebook, multiple books and a toy line. He even agreed Virgin America Inc to be its official "mascot link."
To bring money, need more of a random clip your dog to do something fun. An orchestrated to gain enough popularity to warrant offers corporate sponsors, get product placement deals and move merchandise campaign is needed.
"People who have more than half a million followers are getting a lot of money," says Katie Sturino, who owns toast, King Charles puppy without teeth and a tongue hanging from his mouth. "Those who really have erupted are getting much."
Rescued from a puppy mill, Toast has 168,000 followers on Instagram (http://instagram.com/toastmeetsworld/). Sturino says he has been working with companies seeking product placement or endorsements.
Going viral
What captivates a mass audience and usually goes viral is not a coincidence, says Jonah Berger, professor of marketing at the Wharton Business School and author of "Contagious. Why things catch up" A good story to start is needed, then a smart strategy is needed.
"Often we look at these videos and thought it must be fate or chance," says Berger. "Can you guarantee that something will go viral and get millions of page views? No, but you can guarantee that you will do better."
Animal advocate and author Wendy Diamond says that the biggest factors of influence are those with monitoring and personality.
"Your dog either has to have a deformity or disability or a well-connected father," says Diamond.
Boo connection is clear. Its owner, Irene Ahn, is an executive of Facebook Inc, although it has remained in the shadows during the ascent of your dog.
But there are other routes to the top.
Jon Huang and his girlfriend, Amber Chavez got Manny, a French bulldog that was the dwarf unwanted litter, with an average discount of the price four years ago.
What began as a way to share photos and videos of your puppy with family and friends exploited in the last couple of years of follow up of 796,000 in Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mannythefrenchie) and 643,000 in Instagram (http: //instagram.com/manny_the_frenchie).
"Basically, I just started to publish only pictures," says Huang, 37.
After photos of Manny sleeping in a sink went viral, the popularity of dog began to swell. As the monetary potential was clear, Huang says charity did much of the madness of Manny. Team Manny has raised more than $ 100,000 in the last year.
Manny has agreements with Evanger dog food and Zico coconut water, among others. With all the marketing, fundraising, offers, presentations and tours (tour 15 cities from coast to coast), Chavez is now working full time with Manny.
"There would be no way to handle everything without quitting their job," says Huang. "We did not expect any of this. It happened so fast."
