Greedy Stock Broker chew toy allows people to throw the Bernie Madoffs of the world to the dogs

Like many investors around the world, Anthony Russell has lost money in the stock market. And, like many people, he is sickened by the actions of investment manager Bernie Madoff and his infamous $50 billion Ponzi scheme. To give consumers who have lost money in the stock market an outlet to vent – and to provide their canine companions with vigorous entertainment – the Australian entrepreneur has created the Greedy Stock Broker dog chew toy.

 

The Greedy Stock Broker, which sells for $17.95 at www.greedystockbroker.com, is the latest pet product introduced by Russell, who is a self-described junkie of news about politics and current events. The 35-year-old former advertising agency account executive founded Political Pet Toys in 2001. That company markets chew toys based on global political leaders. Though there toys based on figures around the world, the George W. Bush model is the top seller. It has been since Russell introduced it in early 2001.

 

“I was watching all of the news coverage about Bush and Al Gore stating their cases about who would be president (after the vote debacle in the 2000 election), and I was throwing a regular chew toy at the TV,” Russell said. “My Labrador Retriever Billy (who is now 17) was chasing the toy, and it gave me an idea. Wouldn’t it be interesting if you could throw a Bush chew toy to your dog?”

 

Russell, who is a self-admitted Democrat and is intrigued about American politics, launched Political Pet Toys with the Bush chew toy as the anchor product. Sales were slow at first. Bush’s popularity was high after September 11, 2001. As time passed, and Bush’s approval ratings dipped, Russell’s sales escalated. Russell added more figures, including Hillary Clinton and several English and Australian politicians, but the Bush chew toy outsold them all.

 

To increase his presence in the United States, Russell opened a warehouse in Los Angeles and developed a network of distributors. Sales were brisk until the economic downturn hit. Late last year, as Bush’s presidency was ending and the recession worsened, Russell opted for a new business strategy. He closed his warehouse, ceased retail store sales and moved strictly to an online company. His stock is housed in Sydney.

 

“Profit margins have significantly increased because a bulk of my sales was through the Internet anyway,” Russell said. “I used to spend at least $5,000 per trade show, and then I would stay in the U.S. for a few weeks negotiating with distributors. Now I have few expenses.”

 

Though President Bush is no longer in office, orders for his dog chew toy remain brisk, Russell says. Still, as Bush’s tenure in the White House was reaching an end last year, Russell felt that he needed to hatch a new idea. Since many people have lost money in the stock market, and the Madoff story is big news, Russell figured that consumers would like to buy their dogs a chew toy inspired by Madoff and Gordon Gekko, the character portrayed by Michael Douglas in the movie Wall Street.

 

“This is a way for people to inject humor in a difficult time,” Russell said. “Though you might not be able to replace the money you lost in the stock market, you can at least throw the stock broker chew toy to the dogs.”

 

Russell is excited about the potential of the Greedy Stock Broker. He even thinks that it will be a bigger seller than the Bush chew toy. Russell expects to receive orders around the globe for the Greedy Stock Broker, but a majority of the sales will be from the United States, he believes. Ninety percent of his revenues from Political Pet Toys are generated from the U.S.

 

“Americans tend to be more passionate about politics and current events than people in other countries,” Russell said. “I have even found that Democratic customers are more passionate than their Republican counterparts. I can’t tell you how many photos people have e-mailed me photos of how their dog chewing on the Bush toy.

 

The Hillary Clinton chew toy was popular until she did not get the Democratic nomination, Russell says. If you want a John Kerry model, plenty are available. “I still have thousands of them collecting dust,” he said.

 

The Donald Rumsfeld chew toy is Russell’s second biggest seller.

 

“When I look at the addresses of people who are ordering the Rumsfeld chew toy, many of them are military bases,” Russell said. “I get lots of e-mails from wives whose husbands were serving in the Middle East. They send photos of their dogs gnawing on Donald Rumsfeld.”

 

Americans love their pets, and they can identify with the aggravation of losing money in the stock market. Russell hopes these facts translate into healthy sales of the Greedy Stock Broker. In the future, Russell plans to add more Greedy Stock Broker chew toys. The models will be inspired by current events, so the next Ponzi schemer or crooked Wall Street shyster beware.

 

“The Greedy Stock Broker has more widespread appeal than the political chew toys,” Russell explained. “With politics, some people are Democrats and some are Republicans, and Republicans are not likely to buy a Bush chew toy. The economy and the stock market impact everyone, and lots of people have lost money in the stock market. And who isn’t outraged about the Bernie Madoffs of the world.”