Braxton Harris Co. LLC is taking a paws-itive new approach to its marketing campaigns, capitalizing on the company's family-owned business structure and the Harris family’s love for their four-legged companions.

Meet Saint, the new brand ambassador for plumbing products manufacturer BHC! The Irish Doodle was born on St. Patrick’s Day, 2020, and has quite an endearing personality. Saint is a fixture at BHC on most days, and has a regular routine of visiting staff throughout the facility. He’s also a fixture in the conference room, greeting each person around the table during meetings.

“Our company is still a family owned business,” said President Braxton Harris Jr. “We’ve always tried to treat our people like individuals rather than numbers. When you think about it, we spend more waking hours together than we do our own families. It’s great to see our people’s faces light up when they see Saint at the office. Our employees spoil him more than I do. It just amplifies the whole idea that BHC is a family.”

BHC will be strategically using Saint to increase engagement and name recognition, plus as a fun way for customers and reps to connect with the company. You’ll be able to see more of Saint in the coming months in the following ways:

• Illustrations with customizable poses & accessories for social media and special promos

• Life size cutouts at conference & trade show booths to draw traffic; and in the warehouse promoting featured products

• The real Saint giving a Go-Pro “tour” of the company’s new building (similar to the White House Christmas TV tour by George W. Bush’s dog Barney)

• A “Saint Approved” pawprint badge for product promos etc.

• And in the future, handheld cutouts for selfie & photo ops, contests and traveling in territories; plus a Saint blog about new products, and business & staff news.

Furry companions have had a central presence at BHC for virtually its entire history. Founder Braxton Harris Sr. was well-known in the community for his efforts to rescue dogs and for personally having numerous rescues at any given time. Most days, he would pile them into his vehicle and bring them to the BHC office where they happily roamed collecting treats and attention from staff. His son has continued that tradition.

Mom and Dad would pick up strays on the side of the road,” Harris said. “We had a family farm, and sadly people would often just dump litters on the property. My parents really promoted dog rescue, and groups like SAVE, which is a low-cost spay and neuter opportunity for people who can’t afford the procedures. We also would volunteer to drive various legs of trips when rescue dogs needed to be transported for adoptions.

“Dad pursued the American dream founding this business with a leap of faith. It wasn’t always easy. He found comfort in family and the animals that were so loyal to him. I am the same way. I have always had a dog present during any major decision with the company. Saint is here for me every single minute of the day. It’s a wonderful bond, and a loyalty you don’t often get from humans."

As Harris explained, their warehouse in Anniston, Alabama, can get very hot in the summer and cold at times in the winter. Having Saint’s presence seems to neutralize the stress that employees might sometimes feel.

“We expect a lot of our employees, but they know that we respect them. Our people know they must accomplish their responsibilities, and having Saint here makes the work environment a lot more fun. He’s smart, and can do a number of tricks when asked," he said. "Saint is very chill and loves everyone. He’s in tune with the people around him and understands body language. Even people who typically don’t like dogs warm up to him very quickly.”

Follow BHC on social media platforms Facebook and LinkedIn to watch for more of Saint coming soon!