Eating for fitness
Pet food Premium food for pets captures market share. TBWA launches Perfect Fit for Masterfoods.
Pet food Premium food for pets conquers market share. TBWA launches Perfect Fit for Masterfoods. dogs and cats are part of the family for their owners. The health and well-being of their four-legged friends are correspondingly important. The increase in the number of brands reflects the growing importance of the pet food product group. According to ACNielsen, between October 2003 and September 2004, food (including snacks) worth CHF 223 million ended up in cats' bowls and around CHF 78 million in dogs' bowls. While the overall market stagnated, the dry food range, especially for cats, has seen strong growth of around twelve percent over the last two years. The market research institute even speaks of a boom in the super-premium dry food market for dogs and cats, where sales have increased tenfold in five years. Today, several hundred dry foods are vying for the favor of pet owners - and practically only on the shelves. There is hardly any advertising support for them. Despite this, Swiss dog owners, for example, pay the highest price for dry food in the world thanks to their high purchasing power. "We are seeing trends towards convenience and functional food among pet owners, as well as a willingness to spend more on it," explains Marco Zanetti, Product Group Manager at Masterfoods. For the group of famous wet food brands such as Whiskas, Sheba, Cesar and Chappi, the question therefore arose as to whether it could cover the trends well with its portfolio and expertise. "We had to find a brand
that also focus on health aspects in line with the increasing segmentation," says Zanetti. In fact, expensive food brands that have had their product lines developed by veterinarians, nutritionists and behavioral specialists to suit the individual characteristics of the animals have been the main growth drivers. Masterfoods is now responding to this with Perfect Fit and, unlike other brands, supplies not only specialist retailers but also retailers.
Masterfoods commissioned the in-house agency TBWA with the market launch, which developed an integrated and comprehensive communication concept - from strategic market analysis and communication strategy through to implementation: packaging, advertisements and DM, selling-in, roadshow and online presence. Animal characters with their individual characteristics and needs are at the heart of the concept. Although most pet owners feed two dry brands and are guided in their purchasing decisions by promotional prices, those responsible are convinced that their target group has an affinity for the "accessible science" positioning of Perfect Fit and will not affect the existing wet portfolio. They are discerning animal lovers who do not want to get lost in nutritional details, but trust in the manufacturer's expertise. For the launch of the new umbrella brand, an easy-to-understand to emotional implementation was chosen, which is also massively supported with a broad media mix.
On the move: Perfect Fit is launched in Switzerland, the first European country to do so.
Luca Aloisi
that also focus on health aspects in line with the increasing segmentation," says Zanetti. In fact, expensive food brands that have had their product lines developed by veterinarians, nutritionists and behavioral specialists to suit the individual characteristics of the animals have been the main growth drivers. Masterfoods is now responding to this with Perfect Fit and, unlike other brands, supplies not only specialist retailers but also retailers.
Masterfoods commissioned the in-house agency TBWA with the market launch, which developed an integrated and comprehensive communication concept - from strategic market analysis and communication strategy through to implementation: packaging, advertisements and DM, selling-in, roadshow and online presence. Animal characters with their individual characteristics and needs are at the heart of the concept. Although most pet owners feed two dry brands and are guided in their purchasing decisions by promotional prices, those responsible are convinced that their target group has an affinity for the "accessible science" positioning of Perfect Fit and will not affect the existing wet portfolio. They are discerning animal lovers who do not want to get lost in nutritional details, but trust in the manufacturer's expertise. For the launch of the new umbrella brand, an easy-to-understand to emotional implementation was chosen, which is also massively supported with a broad media mix.
On the move: Perfect Fit is launched in Switzerland, the first European country to do so.
Luca Aloisi
