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Pet Food Marketers: Simplify the Overwhelming Process of Choosing A Healthy Food Brand For Parents

Being conscious of what we feed our children doesn’t stop with our biological kids. Many pet parents struggle to choose the healthiest food for their new pets. Fear of choosing the wrong food is real, and unlike choosing for our kids, choosing for our pets isn’t as clear-cut. Pet parents look to recommendations from vets and friends, and independent research to decide on brands. Marketers who understand how to guide, inform and reassure at the many different touch points can make early connections with consumers who are committed to providing pets with a happy and healthy life.

The New York Times reports that when dog owners bring their new dog home, they also buy a ton of stuff. That exciting process is often the beginning of a life-long relationship with brands. So understanding the range of emotions around these decisions can provide brands with the insights they need to truly connect.

When brands are planning communication they may want to consider some of things pet parents are seeking:

 

Clarity:

Even though there are strict guidelines in place to help pet parents make informed decisions about food selections, there are still doubts about which food to choose. Labels show complex names of nutrients specific to different breeds and medical conditions/restrictions – and consumers really have no idea what they mean. Until recently, consumers were willing to choose a familiar brand, or to take a recommendation of a friend or vet. But now, like with human food, understanding the label is crucial to helping pet parents decide.

 

Customization:

Also like human food, pet food is transitioning. So many pets have restrictive diets or specific eating preferences. Just Right by Purina has tapped into this need by offering a dog food that lets parents (with the health of some nutritional guidelines) create a special blend just for their pups specific needs.

 

Food With Benefits:

Will carrots help my cat’s sight? Does grain-free mean my pup will have fewer stomach issues? These are the kinds of question pet parents are asking. So letting them know if there are the benefits beyond the label could be essential in helping pet parents choose your brand. 40% of dog owners who buy dry food weekly are likely to spend extra to ensure a pet’s wellness.

 

Establish A Community:

Parents want to be part of a community and pet parents are no different.

If pet parents truly feel connected to a brand community, they’re 47% more likely to buy their preferred brand regardless of availability or coupons. That’s real brand strength.

 

The ultimate goal for marketers should be making sure pet parents truly feel good about the decisions they’re making for their pets.

And that “feel good” has to be a combination of tapping into the right-brain emotion of being a parent and reinforcing their decisions with all the left-brain facts they need to convince themselves they are doing a great job.

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Marketing Healthy Food to Health Conscious Humans And Their Pets

The health food trends of human food brands are now being marketed to man’s best friends. Now more than ever before, pet owners have an overwhelming variety of healthier choices to feed their beloved pets. Gone are the days of fillers and mystery meats.  And gone are the days of marketing healthy food only to humans.

 

According to Nielsen Reports, today’s dog foods are becoming humanized. Dog food Brand Managers and Marketers should absolutely be taking a serious look at human food trends, because pets are officially members of the family.

 

Here are some of the top food trends for both man and his furry friend.

 

Organic

People are more concerned about organic food not only for themselves, but for their pets as well. Organic food can cost as much as 30 percent more than non-organic, but an increasing number of dog owners are willing to pay the higher price for the family pooch. California Natural is a great organic brand that has set itself apart from other organic brands due to their strictly enforced manufacturing guidelines. grown amidst this trend. The product is made for pets with food sensitivities in mind with only 3-6 ingredients.

 

Paleo Diet

Dr. Jean Hofve author of “Paleo Dog: Give Your Best Friend a Long Life, Healthy Weight, and Freedom from Illness by Nurturing His Inner Wolf”, has an interesting insight on the Paleo diet. She compares it brilliantly to “taking your dogs out of your purse and putting them on the grass.” The Paleo Diet has a firm foothold in the dog food industry—creating a new sector of “ancestral” foods reflective of earlier diets of canines that are focused on the high quality of proteins and grains in pet food. Sojo’s “wholesome raw” pet food offers two types of innovative products for the Paleo movement. The Complete and The Pre-Mix. The complete comes with raw freeze-dried meet to the other raw ingredients. The Pre-Mix is allow you to mix in your pup’s favorite protein.

 

Vitamins

Inspired by the success of human food brands, half of new pet foods have added vitamins, antioxidants, protein, DHA for puppies, and no fillers, artificial ingredients or byproducts. Lucky Dog Cuisine makes a product that is appropriate for all stages of a pet’s life. They use meat with a butcher-like quality and all fruits and vegetables are GMO. Specific product blends are most importantly filled with healthy vitamins and prebiotics.

 

 

Made in the USA

Patriotism has even made its way to the dog bowl, with 51 percent of dog owners believing that “Made in the U.S.” is a very important package claim as fear of contamination and product safety is a large concern among pet owners. Grill-icious dog treats from Loving Pets come in chicken, turkey and beef. They are made in New Jersey from USA sourced ingredients.” They are even gluten and soy-free. These treats have zero additives or preservatives.

 

 

Meal Excitement

The best meals get us excited even before we take our first bite. And dog food brands know this too. That’s why a top driver of sales in pet foods includes adding “excitement” to the dogs’ diets via flavors, gravies, look-alike human recipes, and meal specific foods such as appetizers and breakfast. It makes sense. A happy dog is a happy dog owner.  Marketing healthy food through appetite appeal works on both humans and dogs. Hill’s awesome Balance Breakfast Medleys are waffle shaped and are meant to be breakfast treats for your dog. They are naturally made with no grains or wheat, proving that even dog treats are made healthy now.

 

 

Gluten-free

With the popularity of grain and gluten-free options for humans, it’s no surprise that the trend is creeping into the dog food aisle. Theoretically, there is no reason dogs couldn’t be gluten intolerant. And “wheat is not an essential food for dogs,” says Marion Nestle, professor of food studies at New York University, so there’s no harm in trying a gluten-free diet if your dog has allergies, skin problems, digestive issues, or other health ailments. Nestle-branded Organix know grain-based foods don’t work well for all of our dog friends, which is why it uses tapioca (a gluten-free starch) as a substitute.

 

When it comes to dog food, humans are your best focus group.

 

Since our pups are basically our children, when it comes to selecting food we only want the best for them – just like us. While humans see the word “healthy” flashed on numerous puppy chow bags, the real print we should be paying attention to is the nutrition facts. So when it comes to marketing healthy pet food to humans, the key is being upfront about all the great benefits of a premium and specialty brand. It’s also about embracing the trends and varieties that consumers crave. True pet parents want what is best for their pets. The trick is figuring out what that is.