People are increasingly treating their pets as humans, relying on them for companionship and gaining a sense of fulfilment from needing to be needed as they look after their pets. They want their pets to feel cared-for, comfortable and mentally stimulated. So there is driving demand for added-value products, often mirroring mainstream human styling and healthcare trends. As a result people are prepared to pay more for their petcare products and to replace them more often.
This trend will have a lasting impact as now so many households became forever homes to their newly adopted furry family members. If there’s one thing every pet owner has in common, it’s that they love their pet(s)! Most owners are in constant search of new and clever ways to spoil their furry friends. From new pet gear (collars, leashes, bowls) to toys (balls, chew toys, frisbees) any addition is a good addition.
A study conducted in Great Britain shows that:
Brits spend on average £1,150 a year or £95 a month on their pets
Over a quarter of pet owners in the UK admit they like to pamper their pets
An average of nearly £200 a year is spent on clothes for their pets
The UK spends 10 billion a year on their dogs (there are approx. 9 million dogs in the UK)
The UK spends 8 billion a year on their cats (there are approx. 9 million dogs in the UK)
66% of owners buy accessories for their pet (Source: Mintel 2015; pfma annual report 2019)
So, now that it’s clear that pet lovers are spending their hard-earned money to spoil their animals, how can you as a marketer leverage this trend to promote your brand? The answer is branded pet products.
From client & employee gifts to tradeshow giveaways, branded pet gear is always a good idea because it associates your brand with a positive experience outside of the office. At every toss of a toy, every walk with the dog, your brand is a participant in a fun-loving consumer experience.
Beyond the positive impression that pet products leave with owners, they also generate considerable brand exposure. When you provide pet owners with a product that they’ll use with regularity, you’re gaining brand recall. Promotional products generate 85% recall, and that’s with traditional promo. Pet products are specialty items that your recipients will use multiple times a day for an extended period. They’re also more targeted in nature as with these items, it’s likely you’ll be giving them to consumers who own a pet.
With promo, it’s always good practice to fill a consumer void with your product because your brand will become increasingly present in their lives as a result and generate more impressions, thus, improving ROI. When you provide a pet owner with something that’s inherently useful (you know it will be since you already know they’re a pet owner) you’ll increase product usability which in turn, increases impressions.
Outside of owner generated impressions, pet owners love sharing their pets with their social networks.