Animal Planet Pimps Its Pooch

Animal Planet is aiming to be top dog in marketing for its first ever competition reality show, Groomer Has It, which was recently greenlighted to a second season. 

The show, hosted by former Queer Eye Fab Fiver Jai Rodriguez, pits 12 dog groomers against each other to find the best in show. It premiered April 12 and the network is pushing marketing in the hopes that it grows viewing throughout the season. 

Fun tactics include partnering with doggie boutiques around the country, which agreed to give out show-touting fliers with purchases (the contestants also gave out fliers to their clients), features on hot blogs like PerezHilton.com about celebrity pets and an online game called Pimp Your Pooch. 

Pimp Your Pooch–not to be confused with this similarly named site–lets users style digital dawgs with several funky hairdos (see our pooch sporting the Beyonce). 

To boot, Animal is clawing its way through an aggressive PR campaign for the show, which will continue throughout the season and include appearances by Rodriguez and the dogs on Today, The Early Show, Mike & Juliet and others.

By Anne Becker