Cover Story: Top Dog

But PETCO also has a lot of fun with its subscribers. "From a content standpoint, PETCO understands that it's not just selling products, but engaging pet owners and building a community in its emails," says Chad White, research director of Smith-Harmon, a Responsys company. "Beyond highlighting products, PETCO's emails include helpful articles and promote fun store events and contests that allow PETCO customers to show off their pets to other PETCO customers. You get the clear sense that PETCO loves animals and wants to help pet owners — and that's powerful branding."