Awesome Pro Pit Movie

[huga]

I agree with you and I was discussing this with my husband on a point that's come up a few times in these threads about where all the pitbulls are suddenly coming from. I cannot say with any confidence I have ever seen one of the listed restricted breeds in Australia so what makes journos and members of the public so confident they could correctly identify one? I could probably put a big spikey leather collar and harness on my pug and have someone ask me if she's a pitty.

I have been asked a couple of times if Sid is a pitbull. Seriously. That's how well Joe Public can recognise them.

[~Anne~]

Well that's the thing - image IS everything and people wont be prepared to learn about pitties if they think their negative opinions on the breed are being confirmed.

People have their negative opinions on anything confirmed by anything at all. That's why it's called confirmation bias. Seriously, people will go out of their way to find evidence that confirms an already held belief and they actively avoid any situation in which they might find evidence to refute an already held belief. They will even find evidence to support a belief from things completely unrelated to that belief.

Read, a video is not going to change anyone's mind about pitbulls no matter what the content is, how the dogs are portrayed, what they are wearing, who they are hanging with or what they are doing. So this whole argument about image is pointless. I have a mate who used to be a manager for the RSPCA. When the pitbull legislation was on the table, a bunch of RSPCA shelter employees made a video with a pitbull who was doing therapy and stuff with kids and all sorts of ambassadorial things. They sent the video to the people they had to convince in the RSPCA and none of them even believed it was a pitbull. They said it couldn't be because of the things it was doing. Pitbulls can't do that because they are too dangerous. End of story. They were not convinced and they never will be, maybe not even if they experience it for themselves. They are not blind or stupid. They are just humans deep in the clutches of confirmation bias. A video may help make up the mind of someone sitting on the fence, but who knows how they will interpret the video.

It is tried and tested in marketing. That is one of the areas of marketing and one of the primary objectives of marketing is - to alter perception.

What you have done above is taken one situation and generalised it as well.

Every major product in this country is marketed in a particular way to give an image of that product. eg Coco-Cola gives a lifestyle image. The ads are always big beach balls, bike riding and outdoor fun and activity. The image they are portraying is lifestyle.

Another brand might choose to use celebrities to show the exotic and another might choose to focus on an image of stability and trust. I can recall another one that was a porridge ad not long back, it migh thave been Uncle Tobys, and they were obviously trying to portray an image of warmth, stability and good old fashioned hearty and warm breakfast and they had a Grandma is a big puffy dressing gown cuddling her grandson as he sat down to eat his porridge.

Image perception is a major issue with the Pb. It needs a massive workover.

[corvus]

It is tried and tested in marketing. That is one of the areas of marketing and one of the primary objectives of marketing is - to alter perception.

What you have done above is taken one situation and generalised it as well.

No, what I have done is explain one very powerful aspect of human psychology that is relevant to the discussion. I never said you can't alter perceptions. I said a single video won't change anyone's mind. I doubt a single video will alter perceptions, either when it comes to it, even in fence-sitters. Unless it's a very clever one. Anyone who watches the Gruen knows there is a lot of psychology in advertising. ;) What's a pro-pittie video in the scheme of things? Nothing. The ones that already like pitties will still like them, the fence-sitters will be looking for more balanced information, and the ones that already don't like pitties will still dislike them. Sorry to rain on your parade, but brow-beating the folks that like the vid about the content of the video and different ideas of public perception and associations is a little pointless in the face of it. Why don't people put their energy towards more constructive things, like pooling all their ideas and criticisms and launching a campaign to 'workover' the public perception of pitbulls, for example? If you all know how to do it better, then go do it better.

[megan_]

A single video won't change people's minds, but it sure will reinforce what they already think.

[~Anne~]

It is tried and tested in marketing. That is one of the areas of marketing and one of the primary objectives of marketing is - to alter perception.

What you have done above is taken one situation and generalised it as well.

No, what I have done is explain one very powerful aspect of human psychology that is relevant to the discussion. I never said you can't alter perceptions. I said a single video won't change anyone's mind. I doubt a single video will alter perceptions, either when it comes to it, even in fence-sitters. Unless it's a very clever one. Anyone who watches the Gruen knows there is a lot of psychology in advertising. ;) What's a pro-pittie video in the scheme of things? Nothing. The ones that already like pitties will still like them, the fence-sitters will be looking for more balanced information, and the ones that already don't like pitties will still dislike them. Sorry to rain on your parade, but brow-beating the folks that like the vid about the content of the video and different ideas of public perception and associations is a little pointless in the face of it. Why don't people put their energy towards more constructive things, like pooling all their ideas and criticisms and launching a campaign to 'workover' the public perception of pitbulls, for example? If you all know how to do it better, then go do it better.

Rain on my parade? Brow beating?

I consider my advice very constructive. I gave my thoughts on both the good and bad from a marketing perspective because that is how I view such materials.

This is an internet discussion forum. That's what a discussion forum is all about, discussing things and offering opinions.

[~Anne~]

A single video won't change people's minds, but it sure will reinforce what they already think.

Absolutely.

[corvus]

A single video won't change people's minds, but it sure will reinforce what they already think.

Yes, that's the point. Anything will reinforce what they already think. Regardless of whether they are pro-pitbull or anti-pitbull. Regardless of whether there are tattoos in the video or fluffy bunnies. So what's the big deal?

[~Anne~]

A single video won't change people's minds, but it sure will reinforce what they already think.

Yes, that's the point. Anything will reinforce what they already think. Regardless of whether they are pro-pitbull or anti-pitbull. Regardless of whether there are tattoos in the video or fluffy bunnies. So what's the big deal?

So, instead of trying to change perception you feel it is easier to reinforce the perception? Given that we are all in agreement that the perception is wrong I find that an interesting view point.

[raz]

Sorry to rain on your parade

You're not raining on my parade. You're raining on the pitbull owner parade you nong!