A little science and a lot of emotion first created and have sustained a healthy natural foods market. But the science is growing; hardly a week goes by that we don’t read about this food being an antioxidant, that one promotes heart health, another slows cell damage, and so on.

Ask a veterinarian for his or her opinion of natural food for pets and you’re likely to get the old Bronx cheer. Seems paradoxical, as most veterinarians chose that career based largely on a love of companion animals–pure emotion. However, they’re schooled to make decisions based on scientific, proven and peer-reviewed published knowledge. And there’s the rub. While we may look on our pet companions as children, veterinarians know they’re not small humans with four legs and fur, especially in that their nutritional needs are very different from ours.

Here’s the divide: research has shown that the veterinarian is the most important source of information and influence to pet owners, and our research indicates that nearly one-half of all pet owners are “vet-dependent.”

As the relationship between pet and pet owner has evolved, so have pet products, including a plethora of natural nutritional products. By some reports, the natural pet food category is sustaining very healthy growth. But a rich source of influence to drive even greater growth–the veterinarian’s recommendation–will remain largely untapped until natural pet food manufacturers demonstrate science behind the products.

This ad from Pedigree uses the amazing high-frame count technology of the Phantom camera to capture a moment in a way that most pet owners have never seen. It simply and elegantly shows pet owners the anticipation, focus and happiness that pets experience when being fed or given a treat. Notice that there is no voiceover by Pedigree touting the benefits of the food. Or telling the consumer that pets will enjoy it. Pedigree lets the visuals do that. Why? Because that would take the viewer out of the moment. And in a way, they are selling that moment to owners. They take the mundane act of feeding a pet and uncover a whole new side of the story for the owner. Pet owners know that their pets like to be fed.  They know pets wait by a door or paw at a food bowl when hungry. What they undoubtedly have missed out on until this point is witnessing every part of the moment that the dog experiences.  By helping a pet owner understand the subtle, almost human-like reactions a pet has, the ad positions the brand as truly understanding the deep relationship that many pet owners have with their pets.  And even better, Pedigree positions themselves as the brand that brings this reaction out of pets. Of course, not all pet owners would really connect with this moment. But the pet owners that are spending the most on their pets, certainly do.

Move over yoga masters. Make room for your Pit Bull on your mat. Doga (doggie yoga, get it?) is taking the country by storm. This, even I can’t comprehend.

Let me start by saying I am a dog person. My golden retriever is my child. He has his own couch. He gets hugged every day. And he always has presents at Christmas. All that being said, I have no intention of taking him to a yoga class.

First of all, I can’t imagine how having 15 dogs in one room could possibly be relaxing. Did these people forget that dogs bark? It’s hard to reach a state of tranquility when a Jack Russell terrier won’t stop yapping at the dog next to him. Even if everyone in the room could somehow magically make their dogs refrain from barking, I know I for one couldn’t maintain the tree pose without falling on my face with Copper begging for attention at my feet.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that these people are crazy (though I imagine my art director partner, Lonnie, would). I’m all for bonding with your pet. Going for walks after work. Making trips to the park. But I can’t imagine that having a session of eye-gazing and uncomfortable bending with my 70-pound dog would be nearly as enjoyable for either of us as just cuddling on the couch.

I know he’d rather I spend that $15 to $25 each week on new toys and treats anyway.

In January 2009, Trone^® reported the results of a consumer study that identified six unique segments of pet owners. These attitudinally and behaviorally based groups displayed distinctly different relationships with their pets which were reflected in their pet-related spending.

As a follow-up, in December 2009, Trone launched another pet owner survey utilizing our opinions@trone database and infrastructure. This study, while confirming the findings of the previous work, uncovered interesting new information about the relationship between pet owners and veterinarians. The degree to which pet owners are dependent on the veterinarian is also a strong predictor of spending behaviors. And, it is not limited to spending exclusively done in the clinic.

Of the 945 pet owners surveyed (559 dog owners and 386 cat owners), 43% of dog and 34% of cat owners were deemed to be veterinarian dependent. Many of the behaviors distinguishing this group were definitional. As you would expect, owners who are veterinarian dependent are appreciably more likely to take their pet to the veterinarian two or more times a year. And they expect to spend significantly more on veterinary services over the lifetime of their pet than do their non-vet-dependent counterparts.

Veterinarian-dependent pet owners and their non-dependent counterparts share many common attributes.

Not surprisingly, dependence on a veterinarian is somewhat income driven. The vet-dependent group was 72% more likely to have an HHI over $75,000. But, households with incomes greater than $75,000 were less than 23% of the sample. Trust in the veterinarian and concern for the pet are even less likely than income to explain the dependence. 95% of the vet-dependent audience indicated a high level of trust in their veterinarian’s recommendations which was mirrored by the 90% of non-vet-dependent respondents who also trust their vet. The study included a number of measures of concern about their pets. On most of the questions there were only marginal differences demonstrated by the two groups. For example, when asked about the importance of protecting their pets from common parasites (fleas, ticks and heartworm), agreement numbers didn’t vary as much as 10% for the two groups.

The level of engagement differences between veterinarian-dependent and non-vet-dependent pet owners is evident in a range of behaviors.

While both groups have modified their pet-related spending as a result of the economic downturn, the veterinarian-dependent group has widened the spending gap. They’ve reduced their already higher spending levels less than the non-vet-dependent segment.

The vet-dependent group demonstrates a higher degree of product brand loyalty. They are 22% more likely to agree with the statement that they shop the stores that carry the brands they like rather than buying the brands that the store they like carries than their non-vet-dependent counterparts. As a result of this attitude, they are much more likely to shop the breadth of available outlets, including online. The sole exception is mass merchants which attract more non-vet-dependent customers in all categories from food (77% v. 56%) to flea and tick medications (43% v. 22%).

Veterinarian-dependent owners are also much more likely to have consulted with their veterinarian on purchases made outside the clinic. For example, they are more than three times as likely to have sought input on non-prescription food choices. And, they are more likely to act on the input they receive. 62% of vet-dependent pet owners have changed a basic product (i.e. food, shampoo, flea/tick treatment, etc.) in the past two years based on advice they received from their vet while only 11% of the non-vet-dependent group has taken such actions.

The challenge for marketers is to influence the influencer.

The challenge for marketers is leveraging the power of this highly influential veterinary group. In some cases the need is obvious. If a product is sold through the vet channel, some degree of engagement is necessary to achieve shelf space. But, taking the relationship beyond the basics and making your brand the preferred and hopefully, recommended choice is key. For products not sold within the veterinary channel the challenge is even greater. How do you engage the veterinarian to speak well of your brand? Must you rely on the pet owner to broach the subject or can your product interject itself into the conversation via the veterinarian? To answer these and the myriad of other questions that arise requires a unique understanding of the brand, the target, the influencer and the environment in which they interact.

If you are interested in connecting with pet owners, email Kimberly, our pet team lead.

Find out more about how we talk to pet owners»

This finding certainly comes as no surprise to me.  Earlier this year we reported findings from a Trone consumer survey that showed pets to be the last place consumers planned to cut spending, faring better than even our children.  (Trone report here:  http://www.trone.com/index.php/category/consumer-snapshots/pets/ ).  What we know is that for a large percentage of “pet parents” their pets are much more than mere “animals,” they are part of the family.  In fact, we have identified 8 distinct segments of dog owners and 6 segments of cat owners.  Contained within these segments are 44% of dog owners and 33% of cat owner who are highly bonded with their pets.  For these consumers, their relationship with their pet drives spending, and is a much better predictor of how much they’ll spend caring for Fido than any socioeconomic variable. 

So, if you’re in the market for a Shark Attack Hoodie, you’d better hurry.  There are only 17 shopping days till Christmas and it looks like demand for doggie gifts will be at an all-time high!

Sadie lounges on the dog's bed. Not because she may, but because she can.

According to a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences, that would appear to be truth.

As any cat owner will attest, felines stoutly and proudly refuse to comply with household rules laid down for dogs: no sleeping on the sofa, no paws on the table, no chewing on the plants. We tolerate our cats’ bad behavior in ways we’d never accept from dogs or other humans. Cats own us, play us and mold us to do their bidding. We are putty in their paws.

The study suggests that generations ago, cats cunningly and deliberately domesticated themselves so we’d provide them with three squares and a roof over their heads. There’s considerable evidence for mankind’s reasons to domesticate wild dogs–hunting partner, protector, companion, extra blanket on those cold, cold nights. But what reasonably sane individual would have invited a wild cat to share the cave? And for what purpose?

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior says cats win paws down over dogs when it comes to learning how to get exactly what they want from their owners, but we cat owners have known this since the first day. It’s an age-old conflict–squaring our need to care for a small, dependant animal with the challenge of feline independence.

So, who’s really been domesticated?

For uninsured pets, veterinary treatment for common acute and chronic conditions can easily run several thousand dollars out of pocket. Additional efforts are underway to provide tax benefits for care. With many more pet owners expected to seek out pet insurance (currently only ~1% of pets are covered), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is supporting an amendment to employee pre-tax flexible spending account laws (FSAs or cafeteria plans) to allow non-taxed dollars to pay for pet health insurance.  

Regardless of your opinion of these efforts to provide tax relief, a growing panel of experts are realizing the significant benefits pets have on human health and well-being. The National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control alike point to studies indicating owning companion animals reduces high blood pressure and cholesterol and helps with stress and depression.  

I for one can attest to the magnitude of the aforementioned, having spent enough for a new car on my dog, Bella, for in-patient cancer therapy at a veterinary university hospital, then for a knee reconstruction surgery in the same year (this was before I wised up and got pet insurance). Those were voluntary purchases my wife and I decided to make without even knowing just how beneficial the decision to keep our dog alive would eventually become. When my wife was put on strict bed rest after a week in the hospital to prevent the pre-term labor of our son, we both credit the compassionate companionship of Bella for keeping my wife calm and positive while laying on her side for two months, allowing a full-term pregnancy and healthy delivery. The costs of our son being born two-months early, while exponentially greater in dollars than nearly any conceivable spectrum of veterinary care, could have been far more serious than any monetary scale could measure.  

Gauging the benefits of pets is the easy part of this debate. How to help the country best reap these benefits has now become a welcome discussion.

A deeper dive into the survey tracks with what we’ve learned about pet owners through our online consumer panel, opinions@Trone.com: most of these self-identified pet parents are single women (66%). Interestingly, 52% of single men said they considered their pets a full member of the family as well.

Almost half of the respondants said they’ve taken the pet on a family vacation. Over one-third have included pets in holiday cards or family portraits. And as the parent of Marshall (the Doberman) and Sadie (the Tuxedo cat), I join the  nearly 50% of those surveyed whose pets have human names.

The survey reinforces that smart marketers will look for ways to tap into the emotional side of pet ownership. Sure, we can promote the rational benefits of a pet product or service, but consider how this would resonate deeply with the best potential customer–a pet parent: ”Your pet is a member of the family. Doesn’t he deserve the same care and consideration as any other member of the family?”

What do I notice? The pet owners that buy only organic foods for themselves pass along the same eco-conscious decisions with their pets. They buy only items from their neighboring Whole Foods® or Fresh Market®.

For those that do not like change, they constantly buy the same brand and formula of both food and hygiene products (litter for cats and training pads for new puppies) for their loved ones. They are fearful that if they shift to a new formulation or brand, that their pet will be disheveled.

People often ask me about the brand of cat litter or food that my friends use. Here are my observations to how some of my friends and family made their decisions:

1) Sampling is good way for your pet to try and respond to new products. Try enough products until your pet responds positively. Some vets sell or give away samples and most pet stores or big boxes sell or give away samples. Even try visiting a company’s website to order free samples (e.g. Greenies® - http://www.greenies.com/en_US/FreeSample/).

2) Research! Use all of the online resources available that reference real veterinarians. Try news sources, professional publications, and websites by trusted branded manufacturers (e.g. Drs. Foster and Smith® – drsfostersmith.com).

3) Ask around other friends and neighbors- Go to online forums or face-to-face with others to see how they made their choices. Also, consider if you want to pass along your lifestyle choices to your pet (e.g. Facebook.com- search pet pages).

Choosing a brand as an “unofficial” pet sitter or as a new pet owner can be a daunting task, but it’s one that is rewarding when the right choice is made. Just like a child, a pet is a reflection of who you are and your brand loyalty.

My friend Jill told this story recently: a friend of a friend of her mother read on the Internet that pet owners shouldn’t clean floors with Swiffer wet products as they purportedly contain the same chemical as antifreeze.  When Jill asked her mom if she believed that, she said, “Jill, honey–it must be true. I Googled it and read for myself on the Internet.”

To paraphrase the cartoon caption: on the Internet, nobody knows you’re sharing a myth, a half-truth or a bold-faced lie. It’s on the Internet; lots of people are reading it as evidenced by its optimization on Google so therefore, it must be true. By the way, the Swiffer story is pure fabrication. What’s amazing is that it’s still out there after five years!

And therein lies the dilemma with relying on the Internet for the definitive word; anyone and everyone can speak with authority. And it seems the louder the voice, the greater the optimization, the more validity is given. Unfortunately, the Internet has created a whole new breed of muckrakers, many of whom seem more ill-informed than purposely untruthful.

In our work for pet clients, we’ve seen on the Internet a fair amount of ignorance if not out-right fabrication. One website in particular–which I won’t name because they’re already too nicely optimized–touts itself as a fair, unbiased source of information for pet owners. It’s far from being either fair or unbiased. It gets a lot of traffic so it’s easy to assume that visitors are reading and accepting what they read. Because the web is so convenient and pervasive, it’s not difficult to make this leap: most pet owners are turning to the Internet for information and advice.

That’s a scary thought, but here’s reassurance. While pet owners might read and research online, we know from Trone Brand Connections consumer studies that the overwhelming majority talk to their veterinarian and take his or her advice. That doesn’t suggest that we and our clients should ignore online information, especially attempting to correct misinformation, but must ensure that we’re engaged and communicating with most pet owners’ preferred source of information and education–the veterinary community.