A Consistent Approach to Brand Differentiation in Pet Food

How pet food brands can consistently achieve shelf standout to capture market share by harnessing digital tools

The pandemic and associated UK lockdowns have accelerated trends in many industries. In the pet industry, pet ownership has risen dramatically. Recent data from the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association shows 2.1M Brits collected a new pet during lockdown and 1.8M plan to add a pet to their household(1). Increased demand for pets naturally equates to increased demand for pet food. In the historically competitive pet food market, a point of difference is increasingly important to brands hoping to stand out and capture market share.

British consumers are expected to spend an estimated GBP 2.9 billion on cat and dog food alone this year(2). As start-up brands jostle for shelf space with well-established big players, the need for speed to market with updates and refreshes to existing lines and new product launches is clear. But how can brands reach out and grab the attention of the consumer, ultimately influencing the purchasing decision, in a market where there is a proliferation of similar products from competing brands?

Increase agility by removing admin time

Most pet food brands today are extremely well equipped to act with agility, launching new products and line extensions with lightning speed. But what does this level of organisation look like behind the scenes? There is likely a substantial amount of outdated manual processing behind the product launches, line extensions, and packaging or brand refreshes of most brands. This also applies to big brands and even those that have adopted some level of digital automation.

To be completely free of the headaches associated with the packaging design process, such as hard to locate assets, working from incorrect files or scouring emails for feedback and approvals, brands should adopt a digitalized workflow system. Web-based collaborative workflow tools, such as Esko WebCenter and digital asset management (DAM) solution, MediaBeacon, streamline production workflows and remove all the admin-related tasks that eat into valuable time.

Streamline workflows to increase speed to market

When a brand team can locate all of their digital content and tasks from a single source at any time, it allows them to react to change from a comprehensive starting point. There’s no question that modern pet care brands act with agility. However, brands that have a robust DAM and workflow system in place are those that have the edge, getting out of the starting blocks just that bit quicker. And being ahead by just a few days or weeks can make all the difference to capturing valuable sales.

As trends for pet wellbeing and sustainability continue to grow, being able to locate and cross-reference files can make a substantial difference to key performance indicators. For example, design and marketing materials that promote grain-free and plant-based ranges for increased gut health and breed-specific blends can be used cross-category to eradicate wasted time and drive efficiency. Approved messaging and graphics can be applied with ease, to maintain consistency when working with third party suppliers.

Create pack and image consistency across multiple SKUs

But what if there is no shelf to stand out on? Consistency plays its part when considering the various channels available for product promotion today. The latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics show that British consumers spent £6.9 million in 2019 on pets and related products(3). Since then, much has changed. Significant growth in e-commerce has increased the importance of high-quality product and lifestyle imagery online, where the consumer expects to see great imagery and lots of it.

Having the ability to easily create, file and retrieve high-quality imagery from banks containing thousands of product SKUs is a must for brands hoping to grow e-commerce sales. Products that are well-lit, in focus and shot from multiple angles or presented in an aspirational lifestyle setting are best placed to promote packaging that can’t be picked up off the shelf. Web-based workflow tools allow designers and marketers to introduce image styling to ranges holistically, apply consistent backgrounds and lighting to allow the product to sing. Importantly, any new additions to product lines can be produced in exactly the same vein, helping to build brand familiarity and trust.

So, what next for pet food brands to whom a digitalized workflow seems like a nice to have, rather than a necessity? With bespoke and turnkey options available to suit all company sizes and budgets, it’s easy for brands to adopt a digital system. Making the switch might require a brief mindset change. However, the real value of a streamlined automated workflow process is the years of headaches it could remove in terms of achieving brand consistency against long- and short-term trends. To capture market share, the time to digitalise is now.

References

1. PFMA, PFMA Confirms Dramatic Rise in Pet Acquisition among Millenials
2. Mintel, Four-legged Flexitarians, Feb 2020
3. Statista, Consumer spending on pets and related products in the United Kingdom from 2005 to 2019, Nov 2020