Cause branding is no longer
about asking consumers to cut
a check or ask for a donation.
Look for companies to develop
programs that engage pet parents
as well as their pets.
© vhamrick. BigStockPhoto.com
Paws with
a cause
Petfood companies that promote their support of causes
in marketing campaigns are staying innovative in these
uncertain times
Each time a pet
parent buys a
Planet Dog product, a
percentage is donated to the
Planet Dog Foundation.
ACCORDING TO A recent article in
Advertising Age by Mike Swenson, chief
marketing officer of ad agency Barkley,
throughout 2009 we saw the launch
of many national cause-marketing
programs despite shrinking marketing
budgets. Successful campaigns
partnering petfood companies with
petfood banks, local shelters, service
dogs and non-profit organizations
continue to be the trend.
Swenson attests research shows
that the majority of Americans care
about health, education and their
local communities; he expects issues
involving homeless pets to garner
even more attention in the coming
year. Another prediction: Cause
branding is no longer about asking
consumers to cut a check or ask for a
donation. Look for companies to develop
programs that engage pet parents as
well as their pets. “Smart brands have
recognized that consumers expect to
hear about what a company is doing to
contribute to the greater good,” Swenson
says. “Educated consumers demand to
know every facet of your business—and
that includes your causes.”
[@] Online extra! Learn about more companies— like Bil-Jac Foods and Darford—and how they are lending a helping paw and claw to their own cause campaigns at www.petfoodindustry. com/ PawsCause.aspx.
AS EVIDENCE OF the push for cause
marketing in petfood, these partnerships,
grants and donations all launched or
occurred within the past year:
Late in April 2010, Halo Purely For ■
