The Big Fat Marketing Blog

Quidsi’s public relations people sent me an embargoed press release so, so long ago about the launch of its newest ecommerce site, Wag.com, that I forgot all about it until I fed my dogs this morning.

According to their press release (which was sent to me on June 23 and embargoed until yesterday), Wag.com is “a one-stop shop for everything pet-related. Along with Diapers.com, Soap.com and BeautyBar.com, the site will offer Quidsi’s legendary fast, free shipping, massive selection and award-winning customer service to busy people everywhere.” Yes, it’s Diapers.com for the “other baby” in the house.

The good news for Quidsi (which is owned by Amazon.com): Wag.com should be able to capture both loyal Diapers.com customers and fanatical pet owners and make a dent in the $50+ billion pet supplies industry. The bad news? More than one blogger/reporter has claimed Wag.com is the new Pets.com (although I haven’t seen Sock Puppet lurking around for a while). more

The call to “go green” has taken on new meaning. A billboard rising above a commuter route in Manila is made of 3,600 pots of Fukien tea plants, which absorb air pollutants as noted by wording embedded in the greenery. The plants cover the 60×60-foot billboard with the exception of white space in the center that is shaped like a bottle of Coke.

The sign rises above one of Manila’s busiest streets in the heart of downtown. Each plant can absorb an average of 13 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. The plants flourish in recycled Coca-Cola bottles filled with a mix of industrial by-products and organic fertilizers. A water-saving drip irrigation system hydrates the plants. more

AARP has become the latest entity to offer music on its website, www.aarp.org, apparently in an attempt to interest their members in newer technology usually used by younger people.

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Many folks are looking for beach reading options, so it is no surprise that my inbox this week is full of messages from marketers wanting to be the purveyors of my own personal summer book club.

Barnes & Noble sent a great message highlighting what’s available for the Nook, such as extras for Angry Birds and exclusive “Cars 2″ books. They also offered up a 15% off coupon for one title over the holiday weekend—a nice pitch, but would have been nice to see different titles and creative featured each time it showed up in my inbox.

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I have to give Waffle House credit for getting on board with QR codes. But I have to groan at its execution.

Waffle House put a QR code in its Facebook photo album a few days ago. The problem is, very few of its followers knew what the heck it was. Some thought it was a new waffle shape. I hope those people were kidding. more