Dog and cat food has evolved well beyond the two basic choices of “wet” or “dry.” Now, freshness, purity, and personalized products get customers’ attention. Boutique pet food producers can benefit from reviewing a few top tips for effective pet food marketing.
The Customer Is Different Than the Consumer
Dog Dads and Cat Moms buy the pet food. That makes them customers for pet food producers. But Fido and Fluffy eat it, which makes them the consumers. If Fido sighs and walks away and Fluffy turns up her regal nose, pet food businesses will have a problem with the customer who purchased the food. Make sure you’re producing a quality product that the end consumer will enjoy and that will inspire them to pester their pet parents for more.
Make It Experiential
Having a pet is an emotional experience. Pet parents treat their furry friends like part of the family. Making family happy is emotionally rewarding. Feeding a pet is a way to get their love and affection, but that attention is fleeting: it tends to last for just as long as it takes to fill the pet’s bowl.
Now, however, fresh pet foods that require additional human preparation are gaining market share. This is primarily because of freshness and transparency about ingredients. But some of these fresh pet foods even require cooking. As a result, the pet owner can prolong the pet’s anticipation and maximize the satisfaction of fulfilling it.
Consider Direct to Consumer and Personalization
More pet food manufacturers are adopting direct-to-consumer methods to promote their products. Customers have more time to research products online from the comfort of their homes and order exactly what they want for delivery.
For direct-to-consumer marketing, packaging does more than convey brand identity and information about ingredients: it ensures the product arrives fresh and undamaged. Producers can combine the cost-effectiveness of bulk purchases with the protective qualities of BOPP bag packaging for dry pet foods (BOPP stands for biaxially oriented polypropylene). These bags resist moisture, punctures and tears, grease, oils, chemicals, and even UV light, ensuring they protect the contents from contaminants.
Subscription services for fresh frozen pet foods mimic personalized meal delivery services for humans, delivering portion-controlled, planned meals designed for specific pets. Some producers have expanded the subscription box to include treats and toys.
Social Media: It’s More Than Tweets and Videos
A strong social media presence includes “social proof.” This can be testimonials and positive reviews, interactivity and responsiveness from the company, and quality content that adds something of value to the pet owner’s knowledge and experience. A strong social media presence acknowledges that pet owners view themselves as part of a larger community of animal lovers.
The tips for effective pet food marketing focus on dog and cat foods. But as the percentage of pet owners in the population continues to expand, so does the variety of pet species. Serving more specialized markets like fish, reptiles, and birds could establish a foothold for animal food producers in niche markets.
