There's an independent small appliance retailer that does a great job of marketing themselves. They have only one outlet (Caynes), but based on their radio and flyer presence, you'd assume a national chain.
The have this interesting wall of customers' pet pictures. I thought it was a nice way to engage with their shoppers on another level.
Here's how it works -- customers are invited to send in a picture of their pet. The picture is converted to a drawing, and the drawing is used in their regular print advertising -- including the name of the pet and the owner. The customer gets a copy of the drawing, and their pet's image goes on the wall of fame.
One thing that is brilliant about this strategy, is the way it advantages a single outlet over a chain, that would have trouble matching this approach. so not only is it an "aww, how cute" moment, it provides a lot of messaging about what kind of company you are dealing with.
