Harley and Tucker were true members of the family and became known by many in NH as "The Boys" from their many TV commercials that aired for years throughout the state. Jim explained, "The dogs just turned out to be great marketing for the dealership, but that was never their purpose. We gave it a try, and it worked. People just really relate to dogs." The dogs were behind the dealership's 'Paw of Approval' campaigns. Harley became known as the "Deal Finder," and Tucker was the "Hybrid Specialist!"
The dealership still stamps transaction documents with a paw-print approval symbol. Most of the TV spots ended with their famous endorsement barks right after Jim said, "Right boys?!" Getting Harley and Tucker to cooperate onset wasn't always easy, to say the least! In a "Sniff Out a Deal" commercial, they filled the front grill of a car with biscuits to entice the furry duo to come over and sniff the car. While filming Harley for the "Paw of Approval" spot where he was sitting at a desk by a computer, Nancy literally was under the desk holding him up. Getting them to bark for their "ending line" also proved to be a challenge. "The dogs would bark at everybody except while filming, of course! During one shoot the crew was walking around barking, trying to get Harley and Tucker to bark to no avail. Eventually a dog came into the service area and that did the trick....they finally barked.
In explaining the impact and success of their advertising, Jim stated, "There is a false stereotype that car dealerships are a stressful environment. We want customers to feel welcome, comfortable and a sense of unconditional love like dog owners get from their best friend. And that's what dogs offer. People relate to dogs. Dogs reduce stress and anxiety, and Harley and Tucker demonstrated the way we want customers to feel about buying a car."
Once Jim was on his way to a dealer meeting and while boarding the plane he was walking down the aisle, and passengers were asking "Where's Harley and Tucker?" Jim reflected, "I was wondering if all of these folks were going to the same meeting and knew me. Then it hit me. They knew us from TV. The dogs really put us on the map!"
