Marketing: Custom Edition for Texas A&M University 17th Edition by William Pride,Ferrell

Exercise 7

Iams and Eukanuba Understand People Who Love Pets
Many people treat their pets like family members and want to buy them the best, creating opportunities for marketing pet foods, treats, and even insurance. Marketers at Iams and Eukanuba, both owned by Procter Gamble, are using their knowledge of consumer behavior to market these goods and services to pet "parents." "The humanization trend continues in pet care, as pet parents continue to increase in willingness to invest in their pets," observes the Iams brand manager at parent company Procter Gamble.
Food for cats and dogs has become a $19 billion business. As in the overall market for people food, pet foods with all-natural or special ingredients are increasingly attractive choices for consumers who are focused on pet health. For example, Iams ProActive Health pet foods include PreBiotics, good bacteria that promote healthy digestion. The company also has a Healthy Naturals line containing no artifi - cial colors, flavors, or preservatives. New lines of Iams and Eukanuba pet foods meet the nutritional needs of "senior" dogs and cats (older than nine). The popularity of such products indicates that consumers are highly involved in buying decisions about pet food, seeing pets as family members entitled to the same quality food and nutrition as everyone else in the family.
Iams and Eukanuba use research to uncover the specific needs and preferences of consumers with pets. For example, customers with more than one cat were concerned about how to feed them when one cat is overweight but others are not. As a result, Iams created a Multi-Cat formula with ingredients aimed at reducing fat in heavy cats while still providing protein for lean cats. The company's Savory Sauce formulas for dogs are bottled just like barbecue sauces or marinades for people. The sauces are fortified with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, are low in calories and fat, and come in flavors such as Pot Roast or Country Style Chicken.
Eukanuba also markets special foods for dogs with sensitive skin or a sensitive stomach, as well as breed-specific foods (for boxers, Labradors, and other dog breeds). More than 100,000 people have clicked to "like" Eukanuba's Facebook page, which features pet-care tips and videos, new product information, and links to sponsorships of events such as the American Kennel Club/Eukanuba National Championships. Through Facebook and Twitter, Eukanuba invites pet owners to submit questions for expert answers, showcasing the brand's connection with pet well-being. Eukanuba's YouTube channel offers tutorials on puppy training, highlights of dog-show winners, and videos about individual dog breeds.
To help consumers learn more about training pets, feeding them properly, and what to expect as pets age, Iams partners with Dog Fancy and Cat Fancy magazines to provide free online classes at Dog College and Cat College. The curriculum includes courses on physiology, natural nutrition, communication, genetics, environmental science, health science, and art history. Participants can also enter to win pet food and, when they finish a course, print a Dog College "bark-alaureate" diploma. In addition, Iams and Eukanuba partner with the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. to provide health insurance for cats, dogs, birds, and more exotic pets. By offering a wide variety of goods and services for pet health and well-being, Iams and Eukanuba are clearly paying attention to the needs of pet owners and making it possible for them to create healthy lifestyles for their pets.
During which stages of the buying decision process would you expect the educational resources of Dog College and Cat College to have the most influence on consumers' behavior?