Fogdog Sports Unleashes National TV Ad Campaign

Online sporting goods retailer Fogdog Sports launches its first national TV advertising campaign this week with spots that introduce consumers to “The Fogdog,” a canine character that rescues athletes caught in sporting goods emergencies.

“Your anywhere, anytime sports store” is the theme of the campaign by San Francisco ad agency OWN&P. The television spots are part of an $8 million advertising effort designed to target active sports enthusiasts.

“The ads reflect a deep-rooted understanding of the consumer’s passion for playing sports,” said Jeff Odiorne, partner at OWN&P and creative director for the television spots. “Humor is used to underscore why athletes of all abilities play sports — for fun.”

“The Fogdog is a friendly `guy’ dressed in a dog suit. He mysteriously appears to supply athletes caught in sporting goods predicaments. In one spot, a climber scales the sheer face of a mountain. As she nears the top, she drops her last protective cam and watches stunned as it falls several hundred feet below. Out of nowhere, The Fogdog rappels down beside the climber and hands over a new cam without a word.”

The new spots will air through December on ESPN, ESPN2, Classic Sports, Golf Channel, Outdoor Life Network, Fox, Turner and CBS. Radio and outdoor ads will complement the TV spots in major markets. Fogdog Sports also has online advertising partnerships with AOL, Excite, Yahoo, Netscape, Go.com, Snap!, HotBot and WebTV.