• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Tuesday, May 8, 2007 11:15 AM

Big companies are increasingly realizing that using real people with real businesses in their ad campaigns lends credibility to their efforts. It also provides a cheap and effective way to target niche audiences--be it the African-American, Latino or other communities, such as environmentalists or pet enthusiasts.

For their part, small businesses featured in these ads get the kind of marketing and recognition that might take years to get on their own. And they do so with very little effort -- and on someone else's tab.

For example, DogToys.com, a Web retailer and wholesaler of pet products based in West Chester, Pa., was showcased last month with two other local entrepreneurs in a regional promotion for Verizon's broadband technology. Although the commercial didn't result in an immediate sales increase, founder Jill Gizzio says the ad helped her business reach a higher level of credibility.

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