Get Scrappy

“Eddie the Terrible”

In late 2014, the Humane Society of Silicon Valley in Millbrae, California, took in a little Chihuahua that its staff members named Eddie the Terrible. Eddie has no saving graces. He yaps at other dogs. He has no use for kids. He is the bratty canine embodiment of “social awkward.” Humane societies have a hard time getting people to adopt stray dogs and cats. This becomes infinitely more difficult with an unappealing, pugnacious animal like Eddie.

So how did the shelter market Eddie the Terrible? It tried to convince people why they should not adopt the little dog. Their social media posts bore titles like “Three Reasons You Don’t Want to Adopt Eddie the Terrible.” One text said, “We’re not expecting you to want to meet him, but if you must we really can’t deter you.”

The Humane Society made the grouchy dog endearing, and its counterintuitive message went viral. And the story has a happy ending: Eddie found a home with owners who have no kids. Although the Humane Society of Silicon Valley has a microscopic budget, it accomplished its marketing goal with ingenious, inexpensive messaging – the perfect “scrappy” campaign.

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