Beneful: A Nestle Purina Brand
Advertising 483
Pet Food Industry Media Project
Corby Hill
Amy Mengel
Tani Vaughn
Eleni Hasiakos
Jessica Schwartz
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Research—Marketing Background/Situation Analysis
Company History
3 P’s: Product, Price, Place/Distribution
Brand Analysis
Market Data/Sales Trends
Competitive Analysis
Brand & Competition—Media Use/Dollars
Seasonality
Geographical Emphasis
Purchase/Usage Patterns—Purchase Cycle
Product Category Trends
External Trends
4
5
7
9
10
12
13
15
15
16
18
19
II. Current Users
SMRB/MRI Data
Consumer Decision Process
SWOT
22
23
24
26
III. Audience Analysis
Primary Research
-Rationale/Objectives
-Strategies
-Method
-Research Results
Target Audience(s)
-Demographics
-Psychographics
-Geography
-Exemplar Profile
-A Day in the Life
28
29
29
29
30
31
35
35
35
36
37
39
IV. Media Plan
Media Strategy
-Objectives
-Media Mix (Vehicle Selection)
-Budget Allocation
-Annual Calendar/Flowchart
42
43
43
43
46
47
2
V. Creative Strategy
-Competitors’ Advertising
-Beneful’s Advertising
-Creative Brief
-Creative Executions
-Media Plan Evaluation
49
50
53
54
55
57
VI. Appendix
58
3
Background/Situation
Analysis
4
Company History:
Nestle Purina, which was originally known as Ralston Purina, was founded by a man
named William Danforth in 1894. He recognized that "animals must eat the year round," so he
went into the business of mixing formula feeds for farm animals. His father told him that if he
went into a business where people needed the product all year round in good times and in bad, he
would be set for success.
After two associates suggested manufacturing horse and mule feed, Danforth partnered
with them and they began distributing the feed and marketing it with the slogan, “cheaper than
oats and safer than corn.” Their business was a success and Danforth eventually went into the
business of creating products for people also, partnering with Purina oats and making Ralston
cereals. After leading their business’s way to success, Danforth became the leader and renamed
the company Danforth Purina.
While traveling abroad, Danforth was introduced to a form of feed that contained several
ingredients pressed into small cubes. In 1921, he tried the cube form in Purina® Chows, and the
innovation spread like wildfire, taking over the entire American feed industry in no time.
Danforth knew that in order to differentiate themselves from competitors they needed a distinct
and memorable label; so he selected the Checkerboard as the company’s trademark and coined
the new cubed food as “Checkers”. The company felt the roar from the 20s, and experienced
"phenomenal growth" after 1923.
In 1926, Ralston had opened the Purina Pet Care Center, in order to conduct feeding trials
and nutritional studies completely devoted to pet nutrition and care.
Although the company was experiencing tremendous growth, their sales plummeted in
1929 due to the Great depression and they registered their first net loss. At this time in history,
consumer products companies relied heavily on new products, advertising and promotion to
compete for scarce Depression dollars; so Ralston Purina mastered the art of celebrity
endorsements and began promoting their product; he used “a cowboy named Tom Mix to hawk
Ralston cereals and an army of young Straight Shooters to pledge allegiance to Purina”.
The introduction of a new dry dog food, under the Dog Chow® trademark in the mid50s, transformed Ralston Purina into a consumer products company. New "Pressure-Processed"
Purina® Dog Chow® brand dog food became the right product, at the right time, in the right
5
place. Within two years, Ralston Purina overtook the market leader Gaines, grocery stores
became the place to buy pet food, and the pet food to buy was New Purina® Dog Chow®.
In 1950, Purina decided to apply its years of experience in farm animal foods to
developing a highly nutritious and taste-worthy dog food to be sold through grocery stores. After
five years, Purina developed a formula that dogs loved plus it had the nutrition of Purina's other
rations and was easy to use and store. Because of the new innovation, Purina Dog Chow®
became the nation's leading dry dog food a year and a half later, and has held that position ever
since.
Ralston went through a number of acquisitions through the 1990’s, signaling its growing
presence as a global pet foods organization. The company consisted of the North American Pet
Foods, Pet Products International and Golden Products business units, therefore Ralston was able
to focus exclusively on the opportunities and challenges of the global pet products business. In
2001, Ralston Purina Company merged with the Nestlé subsidiary and Nestlé Purina PetCare
Company was created. 1
Implications for Beneful:
Because the Purina brand has such an expansive history it reinforces the consumer’s trust
in the product and brand as a whole. The longevity of the company and the quality of Purina’s
products has given Purina a brand equity that cannot be matched in the pet food industry by price
wars or clever marketing tools. After interviewing multiple people about the qualities that are
important in the dog food they select, an overwhelming majority selected “trustworthy brand” as
a key contributor to their purchase decisions; Purina has built itself over the past 100 years as a
trustworthy brand that consumers can connect with.
1
http://www.purina.com/company/index.aspx
6
3 P’s and Brand Analysis:
Product: Beneful is a Super Premium Dry dog food that has a perfect balance of healthy
ingredients, quality nutrition, and superb taste (http://www.beneful.com) Beneful Original
consists of moist, chew chunks made with real beef, vegetables, vitamins, minders, crunchy corn
for a shiny coat, calcium for teeth and bones, omega fatty acids, Vitamin E, and iron for healthy
blood. Nestle Purina Petcare Company manufactures Beneful. The Beneful line also carries
specialty foods such as Healthy Weight, Playful Life, Healthy Radiance, Healthy Harvest, and
Healthy Growth for Puppies.
Price:

35.2 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Original costs $28.99

35.2 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Healthy Weight costs $30.39

31.1 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Healthy Harvest costs $31.99

35.3 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Healthy Radiance costs $29.99

31.1 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Playful Life costs $32.49

31.1 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Playful Life for Puppies costs $31.99

17.6 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Original costs $17.99

17.6 lb bag of Purina Beneful Healthy Weight Formula costs $17.99

15.5 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Harvey Harvest costs $18.52

17.6 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Healthy Radiance costs $15.99

13.5 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Playful Life costs $19.79

15.5 lb. bag of Purina Beneful Playful Life for Puppies costs $19.49
*Prices may very depending on location and distributor.
Implications for Beneful: After conducting our primary research, we found that price is
extremely important to the consumer decision making process and that Beneful was in most
peoples’ price range.
Place/Distribution: Beneful is sold through many vendors. Some places to find Beneful online
are at Southern Agriculture.com, Petco.com, Amazon.com, Peapod.com, Petfooddirect.com, and
7
petsmart.com. Beneful is also sold at local grocery stores, Petsmart, Pet Supplies Plus, and Walmart to name a few. According to Nestle’s Merchandising Guide, it is placed adjacent to super
premium brands such as IAMS.
8
Brand Analysis:
Beneful is manufactured by the Nestle Purina PetCare Company. Dog food categories
are split up into dry food, wet food, and treats. Dry food represents 54% of the dog food
category. Beneful has a market share of 9.1% for the Nestle brand. It has become the #3 Dry
Dog Brand in the Nestle portfolio within the last five years. The consumer benefits of Beneful
are its wholesome, real ingredients, perfect balance of taste and nutrition, and its comprehensive
portfolio meets many consumer needs. Beneful has also come out with a line of Beneful
Prepared Meals, which contain real food ingredients, such as carrots, rice, chicken, beef, and
spinach.
Beneful was one of the many brands that were involved in the 2007 Pet Food Recalls,
which were a response to reports of contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein. A simple
Google search of “Beneful” brings up a multitude of blogs and consumer reports concerning the
safety of Beneful. One site even claims mold was found in Beneful, which is causing sickness
and death in dogs. Purina responded by analytical testing and physical inspections, which
showed no correlation between Beneful and the dogs’ illnesses.2
2
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/beneful.asp
9
Market Data and Sales Trends:
The market for dry dog food in the pet food industry holds the largest share out of the
category, accounting for nearly fifty-five percent of the total dog category in dollars. Within the
dry dog food category, Beneful Dry is the fastest growing Dry Dog brand up 29% and has been
up double in digits in the past four years. Notably, Nestle is the leading Dry Dog food
manufacturer. The Dry Dog sub-category is by far the largest accounting for almost 55% of the
Total Dog Category dollars. According to AC Nielsen 2005 Research, Beneful Original was the
fourth best formula across FDMX (Food Drug and Mass-Merchandisers excluding Wal-Mart)
and Beneful Healthy Weight was the seventh best leading formula across FDMX. Within
Nestle’s brands, Beneful has been growing fast and is now third best for Nestle, with IAMS still
the leader in Dry Dog food category for Nestle. 3
US retail sales of dog food “totaled US$8.7 billion in 2005, up from US$6.8 billion in
2001 and reflecting a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 6.3%”.4 As products are continuously
being improved and viewed of higher image and content quality, it is expected that this as the
main force in the market will produce gains averaging 6.1% from now until the year 2010.
Growth is evident in a wide variety of ways. According to the US Petfood Report, “more dog
food Stock Keeping Units, including various flavors, sizes and packaging, appeared during the
first six months of 2006 than in all of 2005, at 743 and 696, and almost as many new products
(148 vs. 158)”. Healthy products overall are in demand, including natural or organic, “functional
or nutrient enhanced” and special diet (life-stage, weight, health condition and breed). Although
more human-like foods and treats were on the mind of the market in recent years, the emphasis
has now shifted toward the natural and organic healthy foods and ingredients.
The natural and organic demand is a very big and recent market trend. According to an
article from Petfood Industry Magazine, by 2006 98% of the US buying public reported
purchasing a natural product, and 60% reported buying organic, says Information Resources Inc.
(IRI). Consumers are focusing more specifically on the dietary needs of their pets each year.
According to Packaged Facts, sales of natural pet food in the US reached US$1 billion in 2007.
3
4
Nielson 2005 Research: Nestle Profile
Petfoodindustry.com: US Petfood Report – Petfood Industry Magazine
10
Packaged Facts projects the segment to grow another 16% CAGR by 2012, increasing to more
than US$2 billion.5
US sales of organic pet food have also increased greatly at 55% over 2006 and 48%
CAGR since 2003. Organic sales ended up at $67 million for 2007, according to data from the
Organic Trade Association. It has been projected by Packaged Facts to increase another “23%
CAGR by 2012 to $188 million”.3 These sales and market trends will all come into play as well
in the new product development aspect of the business.
To summarize findings in this portion, Beneful Dry Dog food is a strong product
category in which our brand has a lot of potential. Fortunately this category segment is growing,
and Beneful Dry Dog food has all of the qualities that consumers will want to purchase for their
dogs if they are not already. With the market trends in mind, the most important component of
this plan should be to position Beneful as a brand to compete stronger against the competition.
The money and demand together provide a great opportunity for Beneful to have a stronger
presence in this category and to truly grow and shine in the market.
5
www.packagedfacts.com
11
Competitive Analysis:
A store check at a Schnucks in Champaign, Illinois illustrates that the dry dog food
product category is large and highly competitive with 8 competitors creating 152 total facings.
With 99 total facings and therefore holding 65% share of shelf, Purina is portrayed as the clear
market leader (See Figure 1 & 2 in appendix). Interestingly, both Mars Inc. and Del Monte own
two brands competing for shelf space yet the combined shelf share of those brands does not
come close to Nestle’s (See Figure 3 & 4 in appendix).
Nestle is experiencing a lot of cannibalization within their Purina brand. There are 28
different variations for Purina all competing against one another. Purina One Adult Dog Lamb &
Rice Formula and Purina Dog Chow Complete & Balanced stick out as the two variations
grasping the most shelf space among this family of brands with 9 and 8 facings respectively.
Purina Beneful Original is not far behind with 6 facings but Purina One Adult Dog Healthy
Weight matches those facings (See Figure 5 & 6 in appendix).
Implications for Beneful:
With only 11% share of shelf, Beneful is competing with its own brand as well as with
others. The Beneful brand does not have as prominent an amount of shelf space as the other
brands and therefore may not be on the top of consumer’s minds while at the store.
12
Brand & Competition’s Media Use/Dollars:
Nestle
In 2006, Nestle was ranked 25th in their total U.S. advertising spending summing
$1,315,000, a 3.5% change from 2005. Their U.S. measured media spending totaled $604,900,
also a 3.5% change from 2005. Nestle spent the most of their advertising dollars on Network TV
investing $154,427. Coming in close second was Magazine advertising holding $138,673 of
their budget and not far behind Cable TV networks held $110,586. Out of all their brands,
Nestle invested the most advertising dollars in Purina spending $108,555 or 8% of their total
U.S. advertising spending.
Mars Inc.
In 2006, Mars Inc. was ranked 61st by their total U.S. advertising spending summing
$658,200, a 3.4% change from 2005. Their U.S. measured media spending totaled $362,000,
also a 3.4% change from 2005. Mars Inc. spent the most of their advertising dollars on Network
TV shelling out $103,104. Cable TV networks came in second holding $82,396 of their budget.
Among all of their brands, Mars Inc. spent $40,636 of their advertising dollars on Pedigree or
6% of their total U.S. advertising spending ranking Pedigree as the third highest investment on
the list.
Procter & Gamble
In 2006, Procter & Gamble was ranked first by their total U.S. advertising spending
summing $4,898,000, a 6.8% change from 2005. Their U.S. measured media spending totaled
$3,526,500, a 3.9% change from 2005. Procter & Gamble spent the most of their advertising
dollars on Network TV investing $967,990. The Magazine medium came in second holding
$839,205 and Cable TV networks were not far behind with $809,064. Ranking 15th on the list of
all their brands, Procter & Gamble allocated $72,472 or 2% of their total U.S. advertising
spending to IAMS. 6
6
"100 Leading National Advertisers." AdvertisingAge Datacenter 2007 Marketer Profiles Yearbook. 25 June 2007.
Crain Communications, Inc., the Ad Age Group. 28 Feb. 2008 <http://adage.com/images/random/lna2007.pdf>.
13
Implications for Beneful:
With Nestle allotting 8% of their total U.S. advertising spending to the Purina brand,
Mars Inc. allocating 6% to Pedigree, and Procter & Gamble investing only 2% in IAMS,
advertising is one area where Beneful has the opportunity to outshine its competitors.
14
Seasonality:
There is little seasonality within the dog food category. Treats experience a slight
increase in consumption around the holidays. As a whole, the Dry Dog Food category generally
does not demonstrate seasonality.
Geographical Emphasis:
Beneful seems to be purchased much more on the East coast than in the Midwest. But for
many of the Midwest cities with less purchasing of Beneful, the brand leader of the area (i.e.
IAMS or Purina) only made about $1,000,000 where in several East coast cities the brand leader
would make close to $30,000,000. This means there is much less purchasing of dry dog food as a
whole in the Midwest.
Cities with the highest volume of purchasing in 2007 were Atlanta, Boston, Dallas,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa and Washington, D.C. The cities with the least
purchasing were Des Moines, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis,
Omaha, and West Texas. It is clear that there is more of a Beneful trend along the East Coast
than there is in the middle of the U.S. This could mean several things. The lower purchasing of
dry dog food as a whole could just mean there are fewer dog owners in the middle of the country.
It could also mean people are more health conscious on the East coast, and care more about the
nutrients they feed to their pets. Dog owners on the East coast could make more money and
therefore be able to spend more on their dogs. Any variety of these conclusions could be drawn
from the data on Beneful purchasing.
Implications for Beneful:
This information is important because now we know there is really no time of year that is
best to advertise Dry Dog Food.7 This geographical emphasis information is important because it
helps us plan our media according to what we want to accomplish with our campaign. If we
would like to increase purchasing in the Midwest, we can target these major cities. If we want to
continue to reach current purchasers of Beneful, we can target the East Coast cities.8
7
Nielsen FDMX and WMT Channel Facts . NROC One-Pagers Pet Care. Nestle. 2005.
8
"Nestle Purina PetCare." Total U.S. Food Excel Spreadsheet (1997).
15
Purchase/Usage Patterns and Purchase Cycle:
For the category of Beneful Dry Dog food, the purchase usage and cycle varies but there
are overarching trends that are recognizable from research. According to information gathered
by Nielsen Research in 2005, pet care ranks second in its category in terms of annual spending
per buyer and the buyer purchases the category approximately every three weeks. This provides
an idea to the purchase cycle for dry dog food products, but depending on the number of dogs
and their similarities or differences in age and needs within each household, the purchase cycle
and usage patterns will vary more. Larger volume bags will have a longer purchase cycle, while
smaller volume product bags will allow for a shorter purchase cycle. The “thirty-pound to fiftypound sizes of dry dog food have shown the fastest dollar growth and largest share gains since
2000.”1 With segmented Beneful Dry Dog foods for different stages of a puppy or dog’s life, this
affects the usage from product to product within the category based on pet needs in conjunction
with what the consumer values in feeding their dog.9
Nielsen also found that on average, fifty percent of pet owners tend to skip the pet aisle in
their grocery store, preferring to buy their pet products at a pet specific store. Pet care dollar
sales also tend to be higher from the Fall through the Spring, with the dog food category being
the largest and growing at a rate of 2.5% according to Nielsen 2005 findings. What can be
gathered here is that there is very little seasonality in the purchase cycle and usage patterns when
it comes to dog food overall as a category, but Nielsen and Nestle reports did account for a
higher seasonality trend for treats specifically, due to increased consumption during the holiday
season. This expresses a human component in terms of the relationship owners have with their
dogs – they keep them well-nourished year-round, and participate in special treats for holidays or
celebratory occasions just as they would for another member of the family.
The dog food category consists of four sub-categories with dry representing over half the
sales and consistent growth, “with a growth of 1.7% for dry dog food”. Below is a table
expressing the complexity of the purchase cycle for the dry dog food category due to the varying
breeds, ages, needs and owner preferences and opportunities in providing food from the product
category. 10
9
Nielsen 2005 Research: Nestle Profile
http://www.dog-food-nutrition.com
10
16
Example 40 lb Dog Food
Suggested Daily Feeding
Daily Servings Per Bag
Weight
Low
High
Low
High
3 to 10 lb
.25 cup
2/3 cup
242 days
640 days
10 to 20 lb
2/3 cup
1 cup
160 days
242 days
20 to 30 lb
1 cup
1.5 cups
106 days
160 days
30 to 40 lb
1.5 cups
1.75 cups
91 days
106 days
40 to 60 lb
1.75 cups
2.5 cups
64 days
91 days
60 to 80 lb
2.5 cups
3 cups
53 days
64 days
80 to 100 lb
3 cups
3.5 cups
45 days
53 days
Over 100 lb
3.5 cups
*
**
45 days
*3.75 cups + ¼ cups for each 10 lbs. of body weight over 100 lbs.; **Will vary by weight of dog
In conclusion, there is limited seasonality for dry dog food as a category with higher
seasonality for treats around holidays. Owners prefer to buy food for pets at pet stores, and they
buy (usually dry) about every three weeks, but as the chart indicates, it varies and flexes per dog,
household, etc. Dogs are treated similarly to family members according to these purchase and
usage patterns.
17
Category Trends:
The product category being researched is Dry Dog Food. This sub-category of dog food
is the largest accounting for more than half (55%) of the Total Dog Category dollars. There are
three segments of the dry category: Super Premium, Premium and Non-Premium. Super
Premium has high profit and is the largest and fastest growing segment. Premium has moderate
profit and a flat growth trend. Non-Premium has low profit, is the smallest segment in dollars
and is currently declining.
Nestle is the Dry Dog Food leading manufacturer, but IAMS has the largest market share
at 16.9%. Pedigree is at second with a 12.6% market share but has declined by 1.0%. Nestle’s
Dog Chow comes in third in the category and is the leader of Nestle brands. Beneful has had
exceptional growth recently and has increased by 29.0%. Within just five years, Beneful has
become the #2 Dry Dog Brand.11
Implications for Beneful:
The category trends information will contribute to our case by helping us know where we
fall within the Dry Dog Food category. We now know that the best place to lie is in the Super
Premium segment of Dry Dog Food.
11
Nielsen FDMX and WMT Channel Facts . NROC One-Pagers Pet Care. Nestle. 2005.
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External Trends:

Spending:
o Estimated in 2008, $43.4 billion will be spent on our pets in the U.S. – On Pet
Food: $16.9 billion
o In 2007, $41.2 billion was spent on our pets in the U.S. – On Food: $16.1 billion

More and more companies traditionally known for human products are going to the dogs,
cats, and reptiles. Big name companies including Paul Mitchell, Omaha Steaks, Origins,
Harley Davidson and Old Navy are now offering lines of pet products ranging from dog
shampoo, pet attire, name-brand toys and gourmet treats.

Many hotels across the country are adopting pet friendly policies, including everything
from oversized pet pillows, plush doggie robes, to check-in gift packages that include a
pet toy, dog treat, ID tag, bone and turn down treat

Shoppers can now find pet products many lawn and garden stores, nurseries, and major
home improvement stores including Home Depot.

High-end items to spoil companion animals are must-haves

Pet-owners take grooming one step beyond a haircut, a quick bath and a nail trim.
Mouthwash and electric toothbrushes for canines are routine steps in a beauty session for
some pooches.

Today's pet foods include complete and balanced diets that tantalize our pets' taste buds
and satisfy their tummies.

High-tech products (computerized identification tags, digital aquarium kits, automatic
doors and feeders, enhanced reptile terrarium lighting systems and touch-activated toys)
help pet-owners take care of companion animals with ease and precision; this innovation
encourages pet owners to pamper even more than before.

Products designed with convenience in mind lead this trend. Programmable feeding and
drinking systems, automatic and battery-operated toys, self-cleaning litter boxes and selfwarming pet mats let pets virtually care for themselves.
19

Pets can be a key component in helping people lead healthy lives; they help lower blood
pressure, reduce stress, prevent heart disease, lower health costs, and fight depression.12

New Product Trends:
o Functional/condition-specific/novel ingredient foods (life stage, weight loss,
breed-specific, therapeutic)
o High-growth segments such as treats
o Hyper-premium products
o Human-grade ingredients.

Cultural shifts also an important new trend: most important facets are the human/pet
relationship and ability of consumers to afford pet care.

The Premium pet foods trend is gaining steam in the US and Canada; they cover all
bases: natural/organic, fresh/real, fortified/functional, breed/size specific and are
increasingly being positioned not just as human style but also human grade in terms of
ingredients and manufacturing processes.

The humanization trend will continue to involve products that more closely resemble
those for people.

As major marketers continue to expand their international presence, expect to see a rapid
acceleration in global overlap of trends like functional foods, urban-centric marketing and
Internet marketing.

Evidence from both retailers and manufacturers indicates that a notable share (16%) of
concerned pet food consumers switched to more expensive natural and organic foods in
response to the recalls.

Wellness is another trend that will drive growth. According to an October 2007 article in
Prepared Foods, a significant percentage of US pets have reached the mature life stage.
15% of dogs and 17% of cats are over the age of 11. In the short term, a large number of
doting owners will pay a premium for products and services that enhance and lengthen
the lives of these pets. For some this will likely include the purchase of more expensive
12
American Pet Products Manufacturer’s Association, http://www.appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp
20
life stage and condition-specific foods, supplements and treats, like those that address
joint issues, digestive issues, and help maintain vision.13

US Economy is experiencing a downturn which may cause spending to decrease in the
pet food industry. It may cause consumers to buy more generic brands for their pets and
may even decrease the likelihood of ownership of pets.

Growing demographic of Hispanics in the US. May be an opportunity for the pet food
industry to tap into a new consumer group.
Implications for Beneful:
Consumers are very conscious of nutrition and quality when it comes to any products for
their pets. The recent trends in the pet food industry indicate consumers will stop at nothing to
provide the best for their pets. This is an opportunity for Beneful, because it is a niche brand that
targets specific dogs for specific age groups and has the organic/nutrition component. The
obsession with premium products being provided for pets may also be a threat to the Beneful
brand because it is still a dry dog food brand that may not be offering the best human-like
experience.
13
Petfood 2011: the global outlook. By David Lummis, http://www.petfoodindustry.com/viewarticle.aspx?id=13556
21
Current Users
22
Packaged Dry Dog Food SMRB/MRI Data:
Base: Female Homemakers (89,789,000)
31.5% used in the last 6 months
9.8% are buying 18-30 lb. bags
8.2% are buying bags of 31 lbs. or more
4.7% are buying store’s own brand
6.3% are buying “other”
1.6% buying Hills/Science Diet
Purina Dog Chow (Regular) Consumer:

Graduated college

35-44 years old

Employed full-time

Professional with income of $75,000 or more

Census region = North Central

Marketing Region = East Central

Working parents

Children 2-5 years

White

Home-owner
23
Consumer Decisions Process:
Need: The consumer must feed their dog in order for the dog to survive and be strong and
healthy. They are responsible for the life of their dog and must buy it food.
Awareness: There are many different dog food brands that are a part of the market that the
consumer must be aware of. Some of the most well known brands include Alpo, Eukanuba,
IAMS, Purina, Science Diet, and Beneful. Beneful has a variety of television commercials that
show a man and his dog as best friends, participating in different activities together. Beneful
also carries six different types of dry food and its website reads “Make your dog happy and
healthy with the perfect balance of real wholesome ingredients, quality nutrition and great taste.
Find it all in Beneful food for dogs”. This makes people feel like feeding your dog Beneful with
make your dog love you more for taking care of it. It also shows that Beneful has the right type
of product for all of your puppy or dog’s dietary needs.
Preference: Brand loyalty is created after consumers become aware of all the different choices,
yet stick to buying one brand. This can be achieved through a good media plan and targeting
consumers to try out your product to enhance brand preference. For example, Beneful.com
allows users to create their own scrapbooks of their dogs online and add pictures and captions.
There is also a Puppy’s Life and Dog’s Life section that includes advice on how to start a special
friendship with your pet, how to read body language, and make the home comfortable. Beneful
positions itself as a brand that knows how to connect you and your dog together as best friends.
Search: The search is the step in which the audience must find out where to purchase your brand.
Since it is common knowledge that dog food can be bought at pet stores, the commercials do not
say where you can buy the product. Websites such as Petsmart.com and PetFoodDirect.com
make it easy to shop for food by brand.
24
Selection: Since consumers today are presented with so many different options, selection is a
very vital stage of the consumer decision process. A recommendation from a vet or coupons
may be a trigger in the selection process for Beneful.
Purchase and Use: It is crucial that the media plan stays on target, and increases the message
frequency to remind users to purchase Beneful as their primary choice in dog food. Since the
2007 Pet Food Recall, Beneful must remind consumers of its health benefits and food quality.
Satisfaction: In order to keep consumers satisfied, Beneful must uphold its standard of keeping
your dog happy and healthy. If a customer is dissatisfied they should be able to contact Beneful
or Purina to complain. Beneful.com contains a Contact Us section, which includes a number for
general questions, public relations, and veterinarians. It also includes a form where you can
enter your UPC and Manufacturing Code if you have any problems with a Beneful Product.14
14
Katz, Helen. The Media Handbook. Mhwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2007.
25
SWOT Grid:
S
-
-
I
N
T
E
R
N
A
L
-
-
-
-
O
Nestle Purina brands have 65% Market
Share (According to In-Store Retail
Audit), Beneful has 11% Market Share
Beneful is #3 dry dog food brand
within Nestle Purina
Market Share for Beneful increased
29% from 2005 to 2006
Nestle Purina brand as a whole is over
100 years old
Beneful is an organic dog food, which
is the direction that many pet owners
are going with their food
Heavily purchased on the East Coast
No seasonality in purchase frequency in
dry dog food category as a whole
-
Negative blogs on the internet,
concerning the safety of feeding dogs
Beneful
Cannibalization within Nestle Purina
Brands
A Brand involved in the Pet Food
Recall, which was a response to
contaminated ingredients
Not heavily purchased in the Midwest
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
W
Consumer market is increasing
spending in organic dog foods
Hotels offering pet friendly policies,
including giving away goodie bags with
pet food
Increased consumption of treats around
holidays
Shoppers are looking to non-traditional
venues for pet products; ie: lawn &
garden stores, home improvement
stores, etc.
Pet owners are increasingly concerned
with freshness of their pet’s breath
Growing demographic group of
Hispanics in the US
More companies traditionally known
for human products are beginning to
target animals (dogs), i.e. HarleyDavidson, Old Navy, etc.
IAMS is category leader in market
share; its ranked #1 in terms of
advertising spending
Increased expansion of Hyper-premium
products and usage of human-grade
ingredients
US Economy is experiencing a
recession which may decrease
consumer’s spending in the pet food
industry
T
Implications for Beneful:
Beneful is a strong brand because it is part of the Purina family, which has successfully
established brand equity. It is a good time for Beneful to be in the dog food industry, because
nutrition and organic ingredients are key factors when consumers purchase dog food. Beneful
must be conscious of their product positioning and quality, because of the recent dog food recalls
26
E
X
T
E
R
N
A
L
and the market saturation of healthy, premium dog foods.15 The dog food industry is expanding
rapidly and consumers are only looking to find more premium products for their pets. Aside from
the evolution of the dog food industry, the US economy is also changing rapidly, providing
possible opportunities and threats for the Beneful brand. Because the US economy is becoming
much more demographically diverse, there are many more consumers that could be targeted by
Beneful and the pet food industry. On the flip side, because the US economy is currently
experiencing a recession, consumers may be less likely to spend money on premium food
products for their pets.16
15
16
www.petfoodindustry.com
http://www.appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp
27
Audience Analysis
28
Primary Research:
Rationale/Objectives:

Finding out the purchase habits of dog food

Attitudes towards brands of dog food

Brand loyalty or Brand-switchers

What qualities of dog food are most important

Reasons for switching types of dog food

Dog foods veterinarians recommend

If nutritious dog food is important to them

Whether they just buy dry dog food or a combination of wet and dry

How much they are willing to spend on pet food

What media they prefer to consume in their free time

What their daily activities include
Strategies:
We distributed 25 open-ended surveys. They were twenty questions long and took only a
few minutes to complete. We handed out the surveys in the dry dog food aisle of grocery stores
in the Champaign-Urbana area, as well as emailed them home to relatives within the target
demographic. We felt this would be advantageous because dog owners clearly shop in these
sections, and it doesn’t limit the findings to a specific demographic shopping at just one grocery
store (i.e. possibly wealthier people shopping at Schnucks). We also had our family members
that fell within the target demographic complete the survey.
Some possible questions on the survey are, “Have you ever switched your brand of dog
food?”, “How often do you buy dog food and in what quantities?”, “What qualities of dog food
are important to you?” and “What are your media habits?” These questions gave us insight on the
purchasing attitudes and behaviors of dog owners.
29
Method:
Participants – 35 to 44 year old female dog owners found in the dog food aisles of grocery stores,
and our female family members that are 35 to 44 years old
Procedures – We selected members of our target at grocery stores in the Champaign-Urbana
area, as well as approaching our family members. Grocery stores included Schnucks, Meijer,
IGA and Walmart. We approached women picking out dry dog food and asked them to complete
a brief survey about their purchasing habits. For our family members, we emailed the survey out
and also did over the phone interviews asking the questions on the survey.
Materials – The survey was twenty questions in length and consisted of both open- and closeended questions. We distributed 37 surveys and felt that open-ended questions were easily
manageable and provided us with key insights about our consumer. Likert-type questions were
used for the close-ended questions. Demographic questions concluded our brief survey.
Research Results:
-
37 Survey Respondents
-
Residences included: Dallas, Milwaukee, Aspen, NY, Chicago, & St. Louis
-
All Female
-
Ages 33-46
Quantitative Data:
Number of respondents who view their dog as part of the family: 36
Most Important Qualities when selecting dog food (# that agreed):
Nutrition:
30
Price:
21
Trustworthy Brand:
16
Recommended by a Vet:
14
Purchase Convenience:
10
Specialized for pet’s breed:
7
30
Organic Ingredients:
Recommended by a Friend:
5
2
Types of dog food respondents buy:
Wet:
Dry:
Mixed Variety:
1
22
6
Length of time users have been using their current brand of dog food:
One year or less
Two years +
Five Years +
Ten Years +
5
14
10
3
Brand Switchers or Loyalists:
Yes:
23
No:
14
Level of importance of the veterinarian’s opinion:
Extremely
16
Important:
Moderately
17
Important:
Not at all
4
Important:
How often the dog is taken along during daily activities:
Very Often:
3
Often:
3
Sometimes:
12
Not Often:
11
Never:
7
Type of special treatment given to dogs:
Dog Treats:
Toys:
Dog Beds:
Specialized medicinal
treatments/prescriptions:
Table Food:
Dog Clothes:
33
29
20
14
12
7
31
Media Usage: Types of entertainment enjoyed by the respondent
Magazines
32
Television
30
Internet
24
Newspaper
17
Radio
18
Books
1
32
Qualitative Data:
Reasoning for owning pets:
The majority of reasons why people own pets, more specifically dogs, include aspects of
the “man’s best friend” ideology. Respondents replied dogs provide companionship,
unconditional love and peace & tranquility. Dogs also provide an element to the family lifestyle
that no other addition can; for example respondents have bought dogs because their kids wanted
them. Many owners also had dogs because of connections they feel to dogs, whether it is to their
childhood pet or animals in general. Finally one respondent felt owning a dog was her social
responsibility by keeping dogs off the streets.
Reasoning for switching brands:
-
Convenience of the brand
-
Variety
-
Cost increases in previous brand
-
Nutritional demands
-
Dog’s lifestyle/age changes
-
Breed of dog changes
-
Promotional sampling
-
Dog breeder recommendation
-
Purchaser changes
-
Brand discontinued
Daily Hobbies/Activities:
Most Prevalent Responses: (3 or more)
Working Out (Walking, Biking, Running)
General Errands:
Work:
Grocery Shopping:
Taking care of kids (taking to school,
practices, etc.):
Spending time with Family:
Playing with the dog:
19
5
5
5
4
9
4
33
Working around the house:
7
Dinner Outings:
Shopping:
Volunteering:
Reading:
Watching TV:
4
5
3
6
3
Least Prevalent Answers: (2 or less)
-
Bible Study
-
Doctor’s Visits
-
Banks
-
School
-
Theatre
-
Talking on the phone/texting
-
Time on the computer
-
Watching the news
-
Skiing
34
Target Audience:
Demographics:
Our current users are 35-44 year old White, home owning, working parents with children
aged 2-5 years in their household. They have graduated college, are employed full time, and hold
a professional occupation earning an income of $75,000 or more.
In addition to maintaining the interest of our current users, we plan to target a similar
demographic that includes 25-54 year old White, home owning married/working parents with
children aged 12-17 years in their household. They have attended at least some college, are
employed either full- or part-time, and hold either a professional or precision/crafts/repair
occupation earning an income of $75,000 or more. Targeting this demographic is essential to the
growth of our brand because it includes our competitors’ current users.17
Psychographics:
Our target market is best described as suburban “soccer moms.” These women fall into
the Upward Bound segment according to the PRIZM Segmentation System. They are part of
dual income families and make a very comfortable living. They are obsessed with their children
and enroll them in several sports and activities to keep them busy. These women also like to
make sure their families have fun. For leisure, they plan skiing vacations and take their kids on
day trips to the zoo. They prefer buying organic foods and enroll their kids in the best schools
because they are very concerned with the health and education of their children. These soccer
moms do everything in their power to ensure their children are raised correctly.
These mothers make most of the purchasing decisions in their households, and are heavy
purchasers of computers, action figures, dolls, board games, bikes and camping equipment. They
are likely to have one or more pets, one of which is a dog. They have a dog because their
children wanted one and they treat it as part of the family. They subscribe to Family Fun
magazine and have their children watch Nickelodeon and Disney on their satellite televisions.
They often drive Toyota Sequoia SUVs.18
17
US Census
"Zip Code Look-Up." My Best Segments. Claritas. 12 Apr. 2008
<http://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jsp?ID=20&SubID=&pageName=ZIP%2BCode%2BLook-up>.
18
35
Geography:
Based on MRI data our current users live in the Midwest region or North Central census
division. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 52,017,957 Whites, or 17% of the population,
reside in this region, making the Midwest 87% White. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North
Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska are the states in this division with the highest percentages
of White population. Our main focus will be on these top 6 states in the U.S and their major
cities, but we will extend our campaign nationally to encompass our competitors’ current users
as they reside primarily in the South.19
19
MRI Data
36
Exemplar Profile:
Name: Sheryl Loughlin
Sex: Female
Status: Married with 2 children
Birthday: July 8th, 1969
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Political Views: Conservative Republican
Religious Views: Irish Catholic
Contact info:
Email- Sheryl.loughlin@hotmail.com
Personal Info:
Activities/Hobbies- Running my kids around to their activities, watching their games, golfing,
throwing family parties, barbeques, scrapbooking, going on long walks with my dog, gardening
and reading books and keeping up to date on new toys, games, etc. for my kids!
Favorite Quotes- "By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have
regular time off. They are the great vacationless class."-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Favorite Books/Magazines- O – Oprah’s Magazine, Family Fun magazine, Angela’s Ashes, but
mostly the local newspaper to stay up on community news
Favorite Movies/TV Shows- I watch whatever my kids watch! I also will always love Cheers
and Everybody Loves Raymond! Cheaper by the Dozen and Sleepless in Seattle are goodies too

37
About You/Fun fact- I love trail mix and refer to my Toyota Sequoia as my baby – and my dog
Benny always gets the front seat!
Education/Work Info:
College: University of Wisconsin – Madison, Double Major Psychology/Sociology
Work: Kraft Foods, Human Resources Department
38
A Day in the Life:
7:00 AM: Sheryl wakes up to the sound of Lite FM 102.9. She swiftly gets out bed and knocks
on her children, Ashley and Tyler’s doors, signaling for them to wake up for school. She goes
downstairs to begin brewing a pot of coffee and watch the Today Show on NBC.
7:30 AM: Sheryl scoops up a cup of Beneful Original and fills up her golden retriever Benny’s
bowl. Her husband, Milton comes down stairs in his robe to help her pack up lunches for Ashley
and Tyler. She asks Tyler to go get the New York Times from the driveway, which she will read
over coffee once the children are at school and Milton is at work.
9:00 AM: Sheryl finally has time to sit down and sip her coffee while reading the New York
Times. She has the Oprah Show on in the background. Benny sits at her feet chewing on his
new bone.
10:00 AM: Sheryl and Benny go for a walk, where they pass about five billboards. They come
to the local dog park, where Sheryl can converse with other dog owners and Benny can get a
healthy day’s worth of exercise.
11:00 AM: Sheryl logs on to the Internet to start planning her family’s ski trip for spring
vacation. She visits Orbitz.com and Travelocity.com, where she finally finds a good deal for
airfare and hotel accommodations for a family of four. She makes sure that the hotel is pet
friendly in case they decide to bring Benny along.
12:00 PM: Sheryl climbs into her Toyota Sequoia SUV and Benny jumps in the front seat. The
two head to the vet, for Benny’s annual check up and shots. Sheryl turns on WXCE 1260 AM,
Minneapolis News Radio to catch up on her daily dose of news.
12:30 PM: Sheryl sits in the waiting room of Dr. Shot’s office, while Benny sits patiently at her
side. She glances at a brochure for healthy pets and notices pamphlets for Purina and Eukanuba
39
dog food on the table in front of her. She picks up a Family Fun magazine and reads until the vet
calls Benny’s name.
1:15 PM: After examining Benny, Dr. Shot tells Sheryl that he is getting overweight and she
needs to switch to Beneful Healthy Weight, which has 10% fewer calories than Beneful Original.
She also needs to cut back on feeding Benny table scraps. She makes a mental note to tell this to
Ashley and Tyler.
2:00 PM: Sheryl drops Benny off at home and then head to PetCo to buy Benny’s Beneful
Healthy Weight dog food. As she is checking out, she sees Dog Fancy in the checkout lane and
purchases a magazine.
4:00 PM: Sheryl picks Ashley and Tyler up from school and drops Ashley off at soccer practice
and Tyler at Tae Kwon Do. She then goes home to take a nap before preparing dinner for the
family.
6:30 PM: As Sheryl begins baking the chicken, Milton, Ashley, and Tyler walk in the door.
Milton turns on Nickelodeon for Ashley in the living room and the Disney Channel for Tyler in
the kitchen.
7:00 PM: Sheryl measures one cup of Beneful Healthy Weight for Benny and gives him fresh
water. He eats in the laundry room and the rest of the family begins dinner in the kitchen. She
tells Ashley and Tyler that he is only to eat Beneful Healthy Weight from now on and no table
scraps.
9:00 PM: After the kids finally get to bed, Sheryl and Milton turn on Everybody Loves Raymond
in bed. They then watch Nightline, and fall asleep with Benny in between them.
40
Implications for Beneful:
Primary research on our target through both quantitative and qualitative data represented
valuable information that Beneful should use in positioning the dry dog food products.
Consumers in the target are active, busy, caring, and unique and truly value and care about the
health and happiness of their pets. The most important quality in dog food to them is nutrition,
and most consume dry dog food from a trustworthy brand recommended by a veterinarian.
Beneful should use this information to its benefit, as Beneful dog food products have the great
nutritional value and brand name that consumers can trust. Tailoring efforts towards a mixture
of veterinary offices and consumer advertising will be most effective in reaching these highly
involved pet owners and consumers.
41
Media Plan
42
Media Strategy:
Objectives:
Our overall objective is to attract new users of other brands within the dry dog food
segment. As we are targeting women, we will focus on a tone that emphasizes numerous benefits
of our product. Highly informative and sentimental tones will show our female target that they
will be doing something good for their dogs by purchasing and using our product over other
brands. Women focus on what is best for their families very often, and dogs are certainly family
members to most pet owners.
Traditional Media:
TV:
ABC (Dancing with the Stars, Brothers and Sisters, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), NBC
(Heroes), CBS (CSI)
-
Establish a consistently toned campaign across national networks during programs that
have been proven to be popular amongst our target
-
Utilize a playful, light-hearted yet informational tone to emphasize the organic and
nutritional value of our product. By promoting our product and making consumers aware
that we share the same benefits as brands like Eukanuba and Science Diet, we will in turn
differentiate ourselves from these other brands as they do not advertise as much or in the
same way that we will.
-
According to MRI data, Nielsen ratings and media kits at SRDS.com, these are the most
watched networks and shows among our demographic, so this is the easiest way to ensure
we are reaching our target consumer. We allocated the largest percentage of our media
budget to TV because according to our primary research this medium was used the most.
PRINT:
Magazines:
Dog Fancy, Dog World, Country Home, Ladies’ Home Journal, Lucky, Health, Vanity Fair
43
-
One page print ads with the same tone as our national TV campaign. Magazines were
chosen as they were found to be the most common hobby among our primary research
group for the target.
-
Place ads in specific magazines that have been proven to be popular amongst our key
target group with a mixture of representation among highly involved dog owners and
more average owners.
-
According to MRI data, Nielsen ratings and media kits at SRDS.com, these are the most
read magazines among 35 – 44 year old women in our demographic. We allocated the
second largest amount of our budget to print because according to our primary research,
this medium was used the second most.
Non-Traditional Media:
EVENT SPONSORSHIP:
-
The following events support new and exciting ways to make the Beneful brand stand out
from the competition. The value of WOM and PR from these events is higher than any
brand or image concerns for Beneful that could be associated with these events,
especially as the two pastimes are growing in popularity and acceptance in today’s
culture.
-
Paws Chicago 6th Annual Beach Party at Castaways at the North Avenue Beach
Boathouse. This event will include dancing on deck, cool cocktails, and a beachy dinner
buffet. All proceeds will benefit Paws Chicago. Beneful will sponsor the event and be
giving away free prizes, such as toys, leashes, and snacks with the Beneful logo. Food
will also be provided by Beneful for the dogs.
-
Viva Paws Vegas Casino Night and Poker Tournament. Beneful will help sponsor a
night full of gaming and dinner to benefit the homeless animals at Paws Chicago. We
will have a booth set up as well, giving away free treats and samples. 500-600 urban pet
lovers will be in attendance and we hope to have extensive media exposure from ABC7,
NBC5, CBS2, WGN, FOX, Today’s Chicago Women, Chicago Scene, etc. We will also
have coverage in PAWS Chicago’s Angel Tales news magazine (150,000 circulation)
(Pawschicago.org).
44
-
By sponsoring these events, we are reaching pet-loving consumers who have a passion
for the well-being of dogs. This will help create brand awareness and equity for Beneful.
SALES PROMOTIONS:
-
Pairing with Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show, as she has been very involved in pro-pet and
pro-dog movements over the past two years, we will do a giveaway of Beneful dry dog
food on one of her shows to build PR. The concept is to get our product in the hands of
pet owners, and if an audience member is not a dog owner then it is likely that they know
someone who is.
-
We will place coupons on product packages for one year, leading consumers to the
Beneful website to redeem the coupon. Our primary research indicates that our target
spends a lot of time surfing the Internet, and this would be an easy, relevant and
interesting way for them to spend that time.
-
We will promote our product in Veterinarians’ offices year-round, including brochures,
food samples and New Puppy Packages to be given to new dog owners. The concept of
the New Puppy Packages is to get the product into hands of new dog owners to gain their
trust and loyalty. The packages will include little dog toys, treats, pamphlets and dry dog
food.
-
Special month promotions with Beneful product packages to incorporate the seasonality
of pet owners who treat their dogs. Around the holidays when consumers buy Beneful,
they will get a free dog holiday chew toy compliments of Beneful with the brand name on
it.
-
Ellen DeGeneres has a reputation for being a crusader for dogs; therefore, her opinion
will be trusted among our demographic. This will help create brand awareness.
According to our primary research, veterinarian’s opinions were the most important in
the consumer decision process. Therefore, a vet’s recommendation will give the brand a
large amount of credibility. It will address some of the recall issues that the pet food
industry has been facing and will validate any doubts the consumer may have about
Beneful. The coupons and chew toys are strategies to gain new consumers. We hope that
this will spur more impulse purchasing of our product.
45
Budget Allocation
Point of Purchase
10%
Sponsorships
11%
Veterinarian
Placements
10%
Television
52%
Magazines
17%
Television
Magazines
Veterinarian Placements
Sponsorships
Point of Purchase
46
47
Implications for Beneful:
Beneful can successful stand out from their competition with the proper strategy
implemented in this media plan. Each tactic described in our creative strategy allows us to
emphasize our brand image and product benefits by differentiating ourselves in the different
mediums. We will use a flighting schedule to market our brand. We are doing this because we
are offsetting the traditional media vehicles with nontraditional vehicles and there is no
seasonality with our product category. Our competitors may try to offer the same benefits as
Beneful Dry Dog Food, but our tactics will reach the consumers in a way that attracts them to
our brand, and in many cases, puts the product directly in their hands with a free trial.
Divided per medium is sound rationale for all tactics. Our target is composed of both
very active consumers and citizens overall. Our primary research indicated that TV and reading
magazines were two top hobbies for our target for our target, and secondary research provided
insight into which specific programs and magazines would best communicate our message.
Non-traditional methods incorporate both fun and active events for pet owners of all sorts, as
well as interactive and integrated efforts that utilize WOM, PR, B2B marketing with veterinary
offices and free product trial opportunities. All efforts combined will make Beneful stand out
from the competition to a variety of consumers within our target.
48
Creative Strategy
49
Competitor’s Advertising:
Hill’s Science Diet:
The Colgate-Palmolive Company, owner of Hill’s Science Diet, experienced an increase
in worldwide sales and unit volume growth in 2008 causing their gross profit margin to increase
to 56.1%. This continued improvement in growth profit margin worldwide has allowed ColgatePalmolive to increase their advertising spending by 14% to back their brands. In 2003, ColgatePalmolive was ranked 15th among the top 20 TV ad spending advertisers spending $292,908.20
Hill’s Science Diet’s advertising can be classified as having a “feel good” tone. Last year
they launched their “Second Chance for Love National Pet Adoption” campaign pledging to save
one million cats and dogs by December 2007. Their goal was to inspire people to open their
hearts and homes to the millions of lovable pets waiting in shelters for a second chance.21
A print campaign done by JWT reinforces this “feel good” tone with hilarious images of
the beam from a veterinarian’s flashlight going in one end of a dog and straight out the other to
shine on the wall behind it. The tag Hill’s Science Diet “for healthy digestion” completes the ad
leaving audiences something to laugh about.22
20
Ads of the World. 15 Apr. 2008 <http://www.hillspet.com/hillspet/articles/article
Neilson Media Research
22
Thompson, Bina, and Hope Spiller. "Earnings News." Colgate World of Care. 31 Jan. 2008.
21
50
Pedigree:
The Mars Company owns Pedigree and their advertising budget for 2006 was only
$40, 636. The Pedigree logo is a blue ribbon, which stands for best in show. It implies that this
is the number one purest brand. Pedigree’s website is dedicated to saving dogs and the Pedigree
Adoption Drive, which is in the process of donating over $1 million this year. When one
purchases Pedigree they make a donation to help dogs “find loving homes”.23
The commercial on the website is about Echo, who was adopted from a shelter into a
loving family. The announcer states, “When you buy Pedigree, you help dogs like Echo”.
Pedigree uses the emotional appeal to target dog-loving consumers. They make consumers feel
like they are directly making a difference in dogs’ lives when they purchase Pedigree.
The website also includes a “Really Good Food Finder” which helps consumers choose
what type of dog food is best for their dog by size. Pedigree makes dry and wet food, as well as
snacks and treats. The brand features eight different food types in their dry category.24
23
"Pedigree." 5 Apr. 2008 <http://pedigree.com/Splash/default.asp>.
"100 Leading National Advertisers." AdvertisingAge Datacenter 2007 Marketer Profiles Yearbook. 25 June 2007.
Crain Communications, Inc., the Ad Age Group. 13 April 2008 <http://adage.com/images/random/lna2007.pdf>.
24
51
Eukanuba:
Consumers accept Eukanuba as a leader in nutritional pet food that comes from a trusted
brand to help their pets grow healthy and strong. The tone of Eukanuba’s advertising tends to be
fresh, unique and humorous. Always trying something new and different, yet somewhat under
the radar compared to IAMS, Pedigree, etc.25
Eukanuba has a tendency to do more B2B work with veterinary offices for their products,
but on an international level they had a very successful consumer campaign in 2006. Leo
Burnett, Romania created an “Everybody wants to be a dog” campaign.26 The campaign was a
very strong use of humor and appeal in communicating a message that Eukanuba will make your
dog so healthy and happy that other pets will want to be a dog. The campaign won an Epica
award, which is part of Europe’s Premier Creative Awards.27
On a national level, the most recent work has been Eukanuba’s sponsorship and
integrated marketing plan with Animal Planet’s Dog Championship. This “Feed Your
Champion” Sweepstakes allows Eukanuba, partnered with the American Kennel Club, to cosponsor the national dog championship that aired on Animal Planet this past February 2nd in a
prime time slot. The tone is very funny and sassy, tailoring to a competitive and regal appeal for
dog owners. The extensive website still has an easily accessible link off of the Animal Planet’
website which continuously increases brand awareness.28
25
http://www.adverbox.com/eukanuba/
http://sandeepmakam.blogspot.com/2006/02/everybody-wants-to-be-dog.html
27
http://www.uncaged.co.uk/pgiams.htm
28
http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/eukanuba/eukanuba.html
26
52
Beneful’s Current Advertising Campaign:
The current Beneful campaign consists of six :30 television spots. The spots consist of six
different White, middle-age men talking to their dog about Beneful and are very lighthearted and
cheerful. The man treats his dog like his best friend and tells him all about the nutrients in
Beneful. At the end of every spot, the man says, “You only think you’re getting spoiled.” The
voiceover at the end of the spots states, “Healthful, Flavorful, Beneful.” The point Beneful is
trying to make is that their dog food is delicious in addition to being healthy. They showcase the
healthy ingredients by showing an image with vegetables, grains and meats falling slowly in
front of a white backdrop. The current campaign concentrates on the healthy nutrients of Beneful
and they do this by showing a man taking good care of his dog’s health by feeding him this
food.29
29
"Purina Beneful." Societé Des Produits Nestlé S.a., Vevey, Switzerland. 14 Apr. 2008 <www.beneful.com>.
53
Creative Brief:
1) Who is our target?
35-44 year old female dog owners who are working moms, have a college education, and make
over $75,000 a year. They value dog food based on nutrition and consider their pets a part of the
family.
2) Where are we now in the mind of this person?
Our target is aware of Beneful, but does not know much about the product.
3) Where is our competition in the mind of this person?
Our competition is better known and better trusted. It is also highly recommended by vets.
4) Where would we like to be in the mind of this person?
We want to be the # 1, vet recommended, healthy option for dry dog food.
5) What is the consumer promise, the “big idea”?
Vets recommend Beneful because it offers your dog vital nutrients and great taste to lead a
happy, healthy lifestyle.
6) What is the supporting evidence?
Beneful contains vegetables, grains, vitamins and minerals that benefit overall health.
“Animal feeding test using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
procedures substantiate that Beneful Original dog food provides complete and balanced nutrition
for all life stages.” (Beneful.com)
7) What is the tone of voice for the advertising?
The tone is informative, lighthearted, and cheerful.
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Creative Executions:
The advertising will play on peoples’ unique relationships with their dogs and the insight
that consumers only want what is best for their pet. Emphasizing the organic and nutritional
value of our product, the advertising will educate consumers as to why Beneful, and not our
competitors, is the brand to feed their dog.
Print Ads:
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