Corporate Mascot
August 25th, 2009By Meredeth Barzen
Jacob Turner, like so many of us, was crazy about his dog. He was that guy we all know (or may even be) at work: at his job in Target’s human resources department, he went on and on about Marty, his 2-year-old pug with a fascinating arsenal of tricks. He longed for the day when he could bring him into work to show off his talented little friend—and he got his wish when he brought Marty to a Target event as a mascot of sorts:
- Jake Turner and his Pug Posse
“I finally got to do this at an outdoor summer kick-off event that I organized for my team by making Marty one of the main attractions,” Turner says. “I sold it as ‘Get your picture taken with Marty the amazing high-fiving pug.’ I had to present the idea to a party planning committee; he got his picture taken and high-fived about 50 people that day. I saw the smiles and laughs and how much everyone enjoyed him. It got me thinking how great it would be to have other Team Members be able to share their dogs.”
So Turner started the Bow Wows, a group of Target employees whose enthusiasm for their dogs goes above and beyond. The group is still just a pup, but it’s quickly growing in scope and complexity. Last month, Turner launched an internal SharePoint site for the group’s members, and with the help of Shannon Scanlon, the group’s co-creator, he’s building the site and recruiting members. The Bow Wows even plans to expand into multiple areas within Target—Tiffany Wanner has already signed up to be captain of an additional chapter.
Turner says that the group plans to encourage others to participate in Target-sponsored volunteer events, among other things. “I think pets can benefit from social networking as well as an excuse to get out and be active,” Turner says. “I feel that it is a positive thing to have pet owners incorporate their pets into social activities, much like how some people would incorporate their kids.”
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