Pitching for pooch

Get set for an earful as squeaky dog food ads target Fido

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Try showing this ad to your dog — did he or she pay attention?

It's called taking your message straight to the consumer.

A new dog food ad to be aired in Europe will include sounds specifically designed to attract the attention of canines.

“Nestlé Purina has created the first-ever television commercial especially for dogs,” the company said Friday. “The TV commercial to be screened on Austrian television uses different sounds — including a high-frequency tone — to capture the attention of four-legged friends and their owners.”

The 23-second TV spot, for Nestlé's Beneful brand, will include squeaks and high-pitched pings that are similar to dog toy sounds, and a high-frequency tone that dogs can hear but humans typically cannot.