Dog Treat Ad Analysis & Brand Segmentation Report ... · PDF file... Picture of Your Dog...

Dog Treat Ad Analysis & Brand Segmentation Report September 2013

Executive Summary Research Objectives Research Methodology Detailed Findings • Activity: Picture of Your Dog • Discussion: Your Dog • Discussion: Reasons for Dog Ownership • Activity: Dog Food Nutrition • Activity: Food & Product Advertisements • Activity: Dog Food Brands • Activity: Video of Your Dog Recommendations

Contents

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Executive Summary When asked why dog owners have a dog the top responses were: 1) a family is not complete without a dog, 2) the unconditional love a dog provides, and 3) companionship. Most dog owners were found to do something to their dog’s food; whether adding water to it, adding wet food to it, or additional “people” food. Several also related experiences of their dog scavenging food from their kid’s plates at dinner time although most also said their dogs were not allowed to be fed from the table. In addition to meat, vegetables are considered by most to be an important part of their dog’s diet. Several related comments about adding veggies to their dog’s food in order to supplement nutrition. When dog owners were asked if they buy food based on a health need of their dog, most indicated that they did. The top responses were: 1) Dental care, 2) Skin & Coat, 3) Hip & Joint. Four separate print ads were presented, two focusing on dog treats and two focusing on flea and tick prevention products. Within these ads, pictures were found to be a major focal point of the comments associated with each ad, whether of a dog or the product. The likability of the pictures correlated with the overall likability of the ad. Both dog treat ads featured text indicating that they were “Made in the USA.” This was noticed and received several positive comments. The ads also mentioned that the treats contained no artificial colors, flavors, fillers, or were 100% meat. This was also received very positively. The first dog treat ad featured a coupon at the bottom. This was perhaps one of the biggest draws of the ad and it received several positive comments. Both treat ads received mixed responses to their efforts to ascribe characteristics typically reserved for human food to dog food such as “mouth watering aroma” and fake grill marks. Of the two ads focused on flee and tick prevention, the second ad which took a “cute” slightly humorous approach featuring a puppy was generally more well received than the first more serious ad featuring a couple expressing the love they have for their dog. There is a strong correlation between the price of a dog food brand and its perceived quality. Not only was this correlation confirmed by an activity that asked people to sort and rank dog food brands by quality and price, but some dog owners made mention of this throughout the study. In addition to price, word of mouth plays a notable role in dog owners’ perception of dog food. Some made mention that they will not buy any dog food from China because of the ingredients, or that their vet told them to not feed their dog Ol’ Roy, or that they heard a rumor that Purina Beneful is killing dogs. Ingredients in dog food are a really big deal. Fillers were found to be a big turn off as well as anything artificial.


Research Objectives

The overall aim of the research was… Gather input from the target market regarding the care and feeding of their dogs in order to aid in the development of an effective advertising campaign for a new dog treat.


The specific research objectives included… • Test different advertising styles and messages for the purpose

of generating ideas for an effective print advertising campaign.

• Identify eating habits and health issues dog owners encounter with their dogs in order to determine what health benefits the treat should communicate in its advertising, if any.

• Develop a better understanding of the target market and how they interact with their dog in order to aid in the production of an advertising message that resonates with dog owners.

• Identify the position of the brand relative to other brands in order to determine if it would be advantageous to market the treat with its existing umbrella brand name or if the treat should be marketed as a standalone brand.

• Incorporate the findings into the development of follow-up research study focused exclusively on dog treats.

Research Methodology


Data was collected through an MROC (Marketing Research Online Community) set up and managed by Discovery Research Group. A total of 14 dog owners participated in the study over a period of seven days in September 2013. Dog owners were recruited and screened via an online survey from Discovery Research Group’s consumer panel and paid $25 cash for completing the study. Participants selected represent the target market who are defined as dog owners who consider their dog to be an “integral part of their life” and who devote an “extensive amount of time and resources” toward caring for their dog. Participants selected were from four states: Utah, California, New Jersey, and New York. Participants completed a total of two discussions and five activities. Discussions follow a format similar to Facebook where participants can interact with the moderator and each other as they respond to questions. For the activities participants were required to do specific tasks like upload a photo or respond to a survey. Due to the size of the study (14 participants), the results should be considered exploratory in nature. Although numbers and percentages are presented, they are only to serve as guidance in forming ideas and developing a general understanding.

Discussion:

Activity:


Picture of Your Dog: Part A Q: Please use your digital camera or cell phone to take a photo of your dog. After you have taken the photo, please upload it by clicking “upload photo” and selecting the file. Once you have uploaded the photo please add a comment about the picture where it says "caption" and click "next".

The objective of this first “warm up” exercise was simply to learn about the dog owner and their dog as well as introduce them to the study activity format.

Lucie

Rosco

Amelia

Sarge

Jasmine

Roxy

Fred


Picture of Your Dog: Part A

Lukan

Winston

Stella

Buster

Mickey

Max

Pupper


Picture of Your Dog: Part B “Your Dog’s Abode” Q: Now, use your digital camera or cell phone to take a few photos of where your dog spends its time. By this I mean the dog house, the back-yard, etc., basically any part of your home or yard that you consider your dog’s realm (or that your dog considers to be his or her realm). I want to understand the home life of your dog so it is very important that you do not change anything before taking these pictures. Please leave things as they usually are, do not straighten up or clean up in any way. After you have taken the photos and uploaded them, please add detailed comments describing each place.

This about sums it up. Our dogs LOVE to be underneath things. Whether it's the kitchen table while we are eating, the couch while we are watching TV, the bed when we settle in for the night. If they can scoot underneath, they are happy boys.

Buster's very favorite place is right with us in the family room. He also thinks he should get to be in charge of the remote.

This pic, and a couple that follow, is Stella out on one of our weekly hikes near town.

This is the Ridgeback family. My Mom's dog, my Sister's dog and my two. Lukah is sitting tall above his female pack!

He is where ever I am at. Usually on the furniture. He loves soft stuff. The other 2 in the background are his siblings. They are always under foot.

Lucy's kennel. She prefers to sleep in her kennel and gets excited when its bed time!

Amelia watching for squirrels in the back yard.

The main purpose of this first discussion question was to get dog owners talking, introduce them to the discussion format, and create a sense of community. Aside from those objectives some of the responses related to the activity level of the owners dog may provide some inspiration of advertisements. Below are some excerpts taken from the responses: • They spend most of the day lounging around • get really worked up when the doorbell rings or the garage door opens • When new people come to the house you would think it's Christmas by the way Winston goes crazy, wagging his tail and begging for you to love him • likes to run around and chase invisible cats • He would much rather lay around the house • spends a lot of time sleeping • He loves all other animals and any excuse to get them to play with him • he loves to snuggle • She'll get excited and run circles around our house for a few minutes! It's pretty funny! • She loves to curl up on my lap. • When visitors come over, she always wants their attention and will put her nose on them until they pet her • lays around most days • jumps up and plays fetch • super laid back and loves to cuddle • loves to play and rough house • spends most of her time laying on the couch resting • chasing bugs • chases a ball till she can't physically walk anymore • During the day she lays around, but as soon as the kids get home from school she wants to play and run around outside • protective dog if strangers come into my house • loves to snuggle • lazy until I do something • sunbathe • she spins around in the air - 360 degrees


Q: First, tell me about your dog. 1. What type of breed is it? 2. How old is your dog? 3. Is your dog highly active or does your dog just lay around the house? 4. Is there something unique or unusual about your dog (good or bad) that you feel makes your dog special? Please respond with as much information as possible. Avoid short answers that don’t elaborate. I want to get to know the background and personality of your dog as much a possible. In our next activity I will be asking you to upload a photo of your dog.

Discussion: Your Dog

Dog owners offered up a variety of reasons for dog ownership. Below are some excerpts from their responses. Top reasons include: 1) Family just isn’t complete without a dog 2) Unconditional love 3) Companionship

• Our pets are a part of our family and I can't imagine life without at least one cat or dog • it is always an awesome reminder that nothing else matters once I get some lovin' from my dogs! • He makes me laugh and smile when I most need it. • he's a good cuddle buddy! • He has been with me through rough times • I don't feel like my family is complete unless we have a furry family member • offer an unconditional love that no human does. • they are amazing companions • have gotten me through good and bad times • Growing up we always had at least 2 dogs in our family, it made us whole • a dog brings positive energy • I enjoy the way they greet visitors at the door. • I like to play with him and enjoy his warm personality. • couldn't imagine our home without one • unconditional love • Once we started having kids I feel it is important for them to understand the responsibility of caring for another being • love animals • it's comforting to me to have a little companion • helps children to learn responsibility and not be afraid of animals • I feel it makes me be a better person • my life is more complete • for companionship • I like having my dog do things with me • the unconditional love the dog has for me • My parents would never let me have one • They bring true friendship, show you the definition of loyalty, and love you unconditionally.


Q: People have dogs for a variety of reasons. For some it’s companionship, for some it’s protection or security, for others it’s because their kids begged for one. Why do you have a dog?

Discussion: Reasons for Dog Ownership


Q: People sometimes select their dog's food based on their dog's specific nutritional needs or to help their dog with a health problem. Please select from the following nutritional options that you look for when buying dog food for your dog, or options that you would like to have included in your dog's food.

Dog Food Nutrition: Part A

26%

13%

4%

26%

4%

9%

9%

9%

Dental Care

Hip & Joint

Sensitive Stomach

Skin & Coat

Urinary Tract Care

Weight Control

Other (please specify)

None

Low grain, vitamins, real ingredients

For dog owners with kids, scavenging food from the kids, especially at the table, appears to be a common occurrence: (Selected response excerpts) • She gets the occasional dog treat, no specific brand, and our left over dinner meats on occasion, along with whatever she

steals from the kids. • Fortunately for our dogs, we have 4 children, including one who is just under two years old. So they are constantly scavenging

for food. While we don't actively feed them at the dinner table, the toddler is more than happy drop food off her tray while eating so they get a taste or two of people food while we eat.

• My dog will eat scraps that fall off the table, mostly from kids. It would be things like bits and pieces of chicken nuggets, bread, spaghetti.

• She really likes hot dogs and will steal them off my toddler's plate!


Q: What food do you typically feed your dog? Please describe the brand of dog food your dog eats, any “people food” that you sometimes give your dog as a treat, any dog treats that you feed your dog, and most importantly, any eating problems your dog may have or challenges you experience with feeding your dog. Provide as much information as possible.

Dog Food Nutrition: Part B

Treats often include fruits and veggies as a way to improve health: • In the morning we feed them their food and they get fruit and veggies. • I have been trying to not give them people food. However if I am feeling weak I will give them veggies. They love lettuce,

carrots, green beans and squash. • The problem I have with my dog is that sometimes he gets constipated. When that happens I give him pieces of papaya or

mango. And this helps him move his bowels. • Blueberries, carrots and anything that will make them happy and healthy! • I usually boil some chicken and carrots to mix in with his food. • He is also allowed fruit such as bananas and strawberries.

Aside from fruit, veggies, and meat scraps, dog owners feed their dogs a variety of store bought treats: • She chews on rawhides that I buy at Wal-mart or the dollar store • When it comes to treats i take rosco to the pet store and let him pick what treats he wants, its usually pigs ears. • She eats lots of milk bones. • He eats Jerky Treats Tender Strips from Costco and occasionally will have a beef bone. • And as a treat I give him the turkey flavor shakeable soft and chewable. • I mostly buy stuff at Costco. Though I have stopped feeding them any of the dried chicken treats made in china. Read at big

article and some sad things that have happened from treats that come from there. I also will about once a month give them a raw hide bone to chew on.

• He also likes Jerky treats or Milk Bones. Those we also give sparingly because the heavier he is the worse it is on his poor little legs.

• She also loves flavored dog bones.


Q: What food do you typically feed your dog? Please describe the brand of dog food your dog eats, any “people food” that you sometimes give your dog as a treat, any dog treats that you feed your dog, and most importantly, any eating problems your dog may have or challenges you experience with feeding your dog. Provide as much information as possible.

Dog Food Nutrition: Part B

Most did not mention any serious feeding challenges. However, mixing wet food or water with dry food in order to improve taste appears to be typical: • Rosco dosent really eat his dog food unless i add some wet dog food or some kinda meat. • My dog is super picky- wont eat dry dog food at all. • Nature's Instinct dry food, mixed with meat-heavy canned foot. • I like to add a little bit of water or broth to her food so it makes it a little bit moist.


Q: Instructions: Now we want you to look at an advertisement for doggie treats. Please rate the ad below on your first impression. Don't rate it on whether or not you like what is being advertised, rate the ad on how effective you feel it is from an advertising standpoint. After you have rated the ad you will be asked to place markers on it designating the things you like or dislike about it. After placing a marker you will need to describe why it is that you like or dislike that particular part of the ad. Please be as descriptive as possible with your reasons. Look at the pictures, the text, the detailed information. Comment on everything about the ad that you have an opinion about. You must place a minimum of 3 markers. However, you can place as many as 10 markers if you would like. This is the first of four different ads that you will review and comment on.

Food and Product Advertisements: Ad #1

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• Blue "new" tag draws attention.


Food and Product Advertisements: Ad #1 Comments

• Looks like unprocessed pieces of meat- look whole, and healthy.

• I like that they show what the actual product looks like so I know exactly what I'm buying.

• Picture is appealing to me. • The treat looks appetizing, and slightly less

processed than other treats. • Very realistic pieces of steak, I could even eat this

stuff! • Looks fresh and like something I would want to feed

my dog. • I like the look of the treat, it seems realistic. • It looks fake. • Looks good. • Doesn't look appetizing.

• I'm happy these are made in the USA • go usa! love this! • Big fan of products made in the USA • I like made in the USA products • Made in the USA is very positive. Especially with the

negative news regarding dog food/treats from China. • This is virtually a requirement for me. I think all ads will

have to include this in the future because of the awful problems with China-made dog treats.

• Whose dog loves ?? • I like these lines going across, they did a good job

capturing my attention • You are already stating below that it's brought to us by

Milo's Kitchen, this is making it look a bit cluttered • why our? why not "your" dog will love? I got confused • Not sure dogs love the grilled taste.



• Hard to read. • I like that it doesn't have any artificial flavors or

colors. • Cute catch phrase • I like that you feel that it is the treat dog's DESERVE • I like that it states what it is made of. • I like that there are no artificial colors or flavors • The written capture indicating "Angus steak" and

"no artificial flavor" is attractive. I like both things for my dog.

• I like that the ad points out that it's 100% beef • Like the 100% meat, no grain or filler

• I love the wood background- seems more natural, earthy • From a purely aesthetic standpoint, I'm not a fan of the

color of the tabletop. It looks dated. • Fake grill marks? Not sure if I like or dislike? I typically

don't give my dog things off the grill.

• Love the colors- so many dog treats seem to be bright, especially red. This is more earthy, natural.

• Puppy paw above the "O" attracts my attention. • raise this bag a bit, it's too scrunched up below and

hard to see. I like to see full product packaging because I have visual memory so that when I am at Wal-Mart searching through bazillion products my eyes just scan for the packaging I saw on the ad.

• show a pic of the dog



• Coupons are always a great bonus and make me look at ads. • Saving money is always good • needs a pitbull • Coupons are always good • Coupons are good! • i like the coupon. • Like the savings! • The coupon is a good incentive to get folks to buy the product. • I use coupons so when I see one I'm more likely to buy the product • I like coupons especially those that are $1 or more. This one would probably tip me over onto the side of trying a bag of

these with my dogs. • I am a huge couponer- so this draws me in


Q: Do the same for this ad as you did for the previous ad. Rate it on your first impression and then place markers that designate the things you like or dislike about it. Remember to be detailed in your explanations.


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• my dog loves jerky • What makes their Jerky "done right"? Is it the list of

items down to the left? What makes their jerky better than any other? While I do like the minimalistic look of the ad, I think that a little more information would be beneficial.

• There is no mention that the jerky is for dogs! • headline done wrong LOL. Too big and adds nothing to

the ad

• Too much white on the page, products are jumbled together oddly

• I like the white space - again...just purely aesthetic.

• No fillers = less ingredients = less chance of allergic reaction for my dog!

• I love that there are no fillers. • I like that it states that there are no fillers. • I don't know that I care too much if it's a new product or

not. It's more important that I know a bit about the product rather than how new it is.

• I don't really love smelling my dog's foods. • USA is very positive • like that there are no fillers and that its made in the USA • If this is for dogs- I don't want my mouth to water! That

turns me off a bit. • USA made, no fillers... but mouth watering aromas? kind

of weird. I don't smell my dogs food or treats as a condition of serving it to them



• I love the animal shapes, cute idea to show meat of origin • Not sure I like the pictures of the animals. Yeah I know

that's where meat comes from but having cute little animals on the front might be a bit unnerving.

• The ad is poorly done from a design standpoint. It's hard to read- there's no focal point so in not sure where to read first. The pictures used are tilted badly and it makes it hard to read.

• Looks good enough for human consumption. The word "whole" seems healthy.

• I like the picture of the chicken. It will stand out in the store aisle

• Pretty "blah" packaging! • font is a little too small, it's hard to read the overall

cover. • i like the image of each animal and written across letters. • i like the color scheme of each one. • I like that it has the shape of the animal on the front. • Seems like a flavor dogs would like. • I wouldn't feed my dog chicken tenders

• I like the word "whole" in the title. • The font size of the caption is not large enough to read

easily from a distance on the ingredients. • My dog loves bacon this would make him happy. • would not feed my dog pork • Who doesn't like bacon?



• Like USA products • Made in the USA makes me happy! • great made in american!! • I will only buy dog products made in USA

• Don't understand what this is about. • Is there fruit in it? • I have used this band before and my dog had liked them.

• I like the colors- rich, and natural. • I think the package should be half transparent to enable

the consumer to view the contents. • We like to try different foods at our house and I like the

idea of them being able to do the same. Bison strips sound good.

• oh here! i just saw that this was for the pet! ok, if this was somewhere in the store I would totally mistaken it for humans jerkey!!! hmmm i would make that logo a bit larger or more visible ?

• This is a different flavor that my dog would probably be excited about.

• Bison is different


Q: Rate, mark and comment on this ad as with the previous two ads.


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• The eyes make me sad, they make me think of dogs who have passed away, or the dogs who are abused.

• needs a pitbull • great picture • The dog looks very sad. Like help me kind of eyes. • good looking dog and well centered on the page of the

ad. • I love the emotional connection they invoke with this

ad. The picture makes you want to buy the product simply because you love your dog, not even necessarily because he needs it. :)

• Love, Love, Love the photo! • Puppy looks sad. Not good. • I love the picture! It made me want to read the rest of

the ad. • Nice picture showing owners affection, cute dog. • This dog looks tortured!

• Kinda a creepy picture • Can barley see his face.

• The people look like they are sleeping. • i like the human touch in the background, it's

sentimental. i like that • I think it would be more effective just to show a picture

of a dog and not of people in a tick protection ad. • This lady looks too happy, while her dog looks unhappy.



• This photo is really dark • i like the use of "soft" color tones, it makes me feel sad

inside for the dooogie :)

• Statement is wordy. No is used too much • I like this saying • good word placing • Anything in regards to loving my dog.

• Anything regarding Frontline Plus is a negative - I will not use Frontline or anything that acts like it is.

• Hard to see the words • repels a lot of bugs • Their selling point is that they repel pests while frontline

doesn't. I don't know if it's the font or the layout or what, but I am not thrilled about the bottom half of this ad. It's a little bit clunky for me.

• Don't like the comparison, especially when we all know frontline and have never heard of Vectra.

• I like that they are comparing to a well know medicine- but it's hard to believe!



• i like how it shows how many pests it repels. i would like that to be bigger, because I kind of had to get a bit closer to the computer screen to see and read the font below.

• Interesting message, but a little more explanation might be helpful. I guess they are saying that the fleas avoid the dog, versus Frontline where they actually have to bite the dog in order to get zapped?

• I think that each insect icon should be a different color. This will make the ad stand out more. For instance the fleas icon could be read, ticks green, mosquitoes yellow etc. The background could still be purple. This will make the various sources of bites more outstanding in the ad.

• Good information.

• I like the written contents. Its well narrated. • Interesting information. • Text gets to the point and takes on Frontline who

arguably is the big player in the industry. I'd give it a 2nd look.

• Can't tell what they are selling unless I read the fine print • I like that they give me more sources to go to if I want

more info before calling my vet.

• eeeek this looks sort of scary. the little weapon-like thing contradicts the nice message to the left

• Positive statement and message • Injection from vet or do it yourself???? • I'm not crazy about their trademark "protect the love." It

just doesn't speak to me.


Q: Last one. Please rate this ad, place markers and comment on it as with the previous three ads.


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• It says really big what its not, but leaves me confused about what it is.

• too big and competes with cute dog. • Great slogan • I like that the slogan used personalizes that product for

the dog. The use of the word "we" makes us identify with the dog and humanize them.

• like the third person slogan, very clever • I think this could have been made to look better. • I like that you differentiate this • good slogin • I like this slogan • I can read it easily and know what's being marketed

• why so gloomy background? the dog is happy but background is so bland.

• Seems like a lot of white space plus white dog...

• weird white space that your eye is drawn to since it is in the middle. The whole bottom half of the ad is kind of busy, Seems like the parts could be organized better to use space.



• unnecessary logo since it's all over the bottom of the page. I think this would be more effective if they took the message at the left and put it on the bandana.

• this whole lower section of the dog looks kind of odd and could be trimmed.

• I like the scarf. Good advertisement while not "in your face".

• I think they should have made the puppy smaller in the pic to get his whole body on the image.

• Like the scarf.

• very cute dog • I like the picture- it made me want to read more • Cute puppy. • great photo • The dog is adorable. Who wouldn't be drawn to that

face? • good selection on the puppy • i am feeling like this is too photoshopped ..... • cute puppy • the talking dog rocks • Cute puppy • Cute puppy

• good dog chose • I'm not sure if this is food or a shot- it's misleading. • Nice looking box with good picture • Too many images



• I like the detail given here. • I like that its vet recommended. • I had to read the whole thing before I saw that its vet

recommended • good message, and something I pointed out that was

lacking in the other one. Clarifies the differences much more expressively.

• This caption serves to educate the consumer that a tick can cause lyme disease if not repelled. I am sure there are a lot of dog owners who might not know this.

• Their ad started in the "we" tense. Then their paragraph starts with "your pooches." I feel like it would be more effective if they stayed with "we.“

• Is Bayer the same human Bayer? I'm assuming but not sure.

• I like they have been around a long time • I like that you list the company it is manufactured by. • Good brand • citing 150 years of reputation arouses consumer • Company history is positive • Not sure what I think about this. Bayer is a respected

name, but for aspirin. Maybe stressing the years they've been making pet products would help

• Familiar brand • don't like the color or red ink it is hard to read • I like that it tells how long the product is effective • This caption is also good because it indicated its to be

used externally not oral. • i can't read this but I assume it would be easier to read in

the actual print ad. Still, you'd think they could expand it a bit given all the empty air above it.


Q: Below are several brands of dog food. Please drag and drop each brand into one of the four groups defined below. In the first group put any dog food brand that you consider to be a good dog food brand. In the second group place any dog food brand that you consider to be average or okay. In the third group we'd like you to place dog food brands that you consider to be bad or of low quality. While there are brands you may know of that are missing from the list, there may also be dog food brands here that you have never heard of. If you have never heard of a brand before, put it in the don't know group. For those that you have heard of before but don't know much about, go off of the general impression you have of it and place it in a category. After you have sorted all brands, click "next" to go to the next step.

Dog Food Brands: Part A

Q: This time I want you to place each dog food brand into one of four different categories. In category one place dog food brands that you know or believe to be the most expensive. In category two place average priced dog food brands. In category three place low priced or cheap dog food brands. Finally, for those brands that you have no idea about, place them in the "don't know" category. However, as before, avoid placing brands into this category if you can. Go off of the impression you have of each brand whether you are familiar with it or not.

Dog Food Brands: Part C

The following slide displays a perceptual map showing the relative position of each brand with regard to its perceived quality and price. Scores were calculated based off of subtracting the number of bad rating points from good rating points and cheap rating points from expensive rating points. Brands that received several “don’t know” marks were not included in the perceptual map.


As displayed in the perceptual map below, there is a clear correlation between a dog food brand’s cost and their perceived nutritional value. Also of interest are the three groupings with Ol’ Roy, Mighty dog, and Kibbles ‘n Bits occupying the “cheap and bad” quadrant, most of the Purina brands in the middle, and premium brands in the top “expensive and good” quadrant. Additionally, it is interesting to note that all three brands with the word “Nature/Natural” in their name can be found within very close proximity to each other.

Dog Food Brands: Parts A & C

Bad Good

Expensive

Cheap

Natures Variety

Beneful

Natural Choice

Cesar


Hills Science Diet, Eukanuba, IAMS and Natural Choice top the list as the best dog food brands with Kibbles ‘n Bits, Mighty Dog, and Ol’ Roy at the bottom of the list as the worst dog food brands. Several brands had a high number of “don’t know” responses and as a result should not be compared equally with brands that did not. Those brands include: Solid Gold, Wellness, Taste of the wild, Healthy Elements, Innova, Halo, Merrick, and Royal Canin.


Hills Science Diet

Eukanuba

IAMS

Natural Choice

Blue Buffalo

Natural Balance

Nature's Variety

Pro Plan

Purina One

Pedigree

Cesar

Solid Gold

Wellness

Beneful

Dog Chow

Taste of the Wild

Fit & Trim

Healthy Elements

Innova

Halo

Merrick

Chef Michael's

Royal Canin

Kibbles 'n Bits

Mighty Dog

Ol' Roy

Good Dog Food Brand Average Dog Food Brand Bad Dog Food Brand Don't Know


Hills Science Diet, Blue Buffalo, Eukanuba, Natural Balance, and Natural Choice top the list as the most expensive dog food brands with Dog Chow, Kibbles ‘n Bits, Mighty Dog, and Ol’ Roy at the bottom of the list as the cheapest dog food brands. As with the previous analysis, several brands had a high number of “don’t know” responses and as a result should not be compared equally with brands that did not. Those brands include: Wellness, Solid Gold, Taste of the Wild, Merrick, Innova, Halo, and Healthy Elements.


Hills Science Diet

Blue Buffalo

Eukanuba

Natural Balance

Natural Choice

Nature's Variety

Wellness

IAMS

Solid Gold

Taste of the Wild

Royal Canin

Merrick

Innova

Pro Plan

Beneful

Cesar

Chef Michael's

Halo

Healthy Elements

Purina One

Fit & Trim

Pedigree

Dog Chow

Mighty Dog

Kibbles 'n Bits

Ol' Roy

Expensive Dog Food Brands Average Priced Dog Food Brands Cheap Dog Food Brands Don't Know

Several dog owners indicated that they carefully consider the ingredients in their dogs food and look for brands without fillers: • I'm disappointed with people who truly love their animals but are unaware of the fillers and bad things that go in to pet treats

and food. • The brands you buy at your local grocery store, especially the cheaper ones, have a lot of by product and fillers. I generally

think dog food you buy at places such as pet smart, petco, etc- are healthier. • I like the Costco Kirkland brand of dog food. It has ingredients that are good for my dogs. It helps make there coat shiny and

clean. It also helps with there poop. It is smaller and does not smell as bad. I also like the blue I think it is. Very good ingredient but very expensive.

• We have tried to steer clear of gluten first and foremost. Secondly, we avoid fillers. And lastly we try for organic if at all possible.”

• I feel like better ingredients are better for my dog. I believe that some brands of dog food use better ingredients than others. That's not say that a dog food is "bad", just maybe not as healthy. I am a firm believer in most things in life that you get what you pay for and in this regard I absolutely believe that to be true.


Q: Now I want you to explain why you sorted some the brands the way you did. Let me know why one brand is your favorite or why you would never feed your dog "brand x". Please provide as much detail as possible about those brands that you have strong opinions about, especially what brand of dog food you feed your dog and why. Feel free to add any information about dog food brands in general whether on this list or not.

Dog Food Brand Ranking: Part B

Word of mouth influences dog food brand selection as does advertising: • Ol' Roy is Walmart brand that I used to feed my dog until my vet told me how bad it is for her. • I hate atta boy and ol Roy. I have heard only neg things about both brands. Even that when shelters get those brands donated

to them that even they throw them out. Lots of fillers. • Ol Roy led dogs to being sick before • Honestly, i go by price and then by TV advertisement. I want something that's not too cheap that will cause my dog diarrhea all

day but yet I just cannot pay the top dollar for my dog because I have 3 kids to feed :) • I rated Blue the way I did because they seem to have a lot of recalls lately. • I have been hearing rumors about beneful killin dogs after years of eating it.

Most comments confirm that dog owners believe that you “get what you pay for” when it comes to dog food: • I know ol Roy is garbage and generally what you buy at the grocery store is. I am willing to pay a lot for expensive brands like

Blue Buffalo, because I know it's healthier- but my dog won't eat it! • From what I can tell, the higher priced the better quality of dog food. Ol' Roy is cheap but my vet said is mainly fillers like corn

and can actually cause your dog to get sick. • We aren't terribly picky about brands. I generally assume that the more expensive brands have better nutrition, but have not

really done the research. • I think some brands like Purina and Ceasar's seem to be very over priced. I stay away from them. It's like for a human to be

eating steak every day. I think my dog is OK with average food. • IAMS , Eukaneba, and the Science Diet are expensive but I think its an investment in your pet.

Purina is a good value for the money. It's not that expensive and it has a decent vitamin content for your pet. • Blue Buffalo i think is over priced by far, i know its really good for your dog but the price isn't good for anyone. • In the past I have paid the extra price and purchased them for both my dogs and cats. When I went down to more of an above

average brand, I didn't see any noticeable difference in the way my pets acted, the amount they ate or anything else that justified the large difference in price.

• Not sure I think any of them are over or under priced... I assume companies have a reason for charging what they charge, and customers that are willing to pay it.

• Cheap products are typically a rip off because they are "fillers" - you'd be better off creating your own food.


Q: Please comment about those brands that you have a strong opinion about with regard to their pricing. I want to know if you consider a brand to be over priced or under priced and why. Which brands represent a good value and why. Which brands are a rip off and why.

Dog Food Brand Ranking: Part D


Video of Your Dog Q: For this final exercise we need you to take a video of your dog doing something active. This can be a video that you shoot of your dog or a video someone takes of you with your dog. Please choose an activity that your dog typically does. While entertaining videos are fun, I want to see what your dog likes to do on a regular basis, even if it’s just going for a walk or chewing on a play toy. Whatever gets your dog excited and active, is what we'd like to see. At a minimum, your video should be at least 30 seconds long. At a maximum, no more than 3 minutes in length. After uploading your video, please post a comment about it.

http://youtu.be/NjkNATNEI74

http://youtu.be/CCTSwBUH_3w http://youtu.be/DxzanFhWKcI

http://youtu.be/aoTjzmL9gHY http://youtu.be/bDm8v8B0dmY http://youtu.be/h9D13Y1chKk http://youtu.be/JHGlTr2tka8

http://youtu.be/ZD3MAHz7mls

Below are the videos shot by the dog owners. The purpose of this activity was to provide real life interactions between dog owners and their dogs in order to serve as a springboard for advertising ideas.

My dog loves to play with my baby- this is what they are always doing. They love tug a war.

No comment posted with video. Stella outside playing kick

ball with the family. She loves being a part of everything that goes on in our house.

This is Sarge doing what he actually will put energy in to - destroying things every great once in awhile. It's not often he will do this, and it will be the most random things, a football, a child's toy or a shovel.

If we are not on a walk, my dog likes to sit anywhere around the house. But she is always bothered by the kids. So she has figured out if she licks them a lot they will back off of her. She is very very patient with 3 kids. I am proud of her!

Max LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to go to work each morning with my husband. He dances around, barks, nips at Dennis until it is time to go, then runs up and down the stairs to make sure he is going to go.

This is Lukah "learning to kick" using a childs kickboard. He loves to swim and is a great swimmer. Ridgebacks are not known as water dogs but Lukah loves it.

Yes I baby talk to my dog!




http://youtu.be/CCTSwBUH_3w

http://youtu.be/DxzanFhWKcI

http://youtu.be/aoTjzmL9gHY

http://youtu.be/bDm8v8B0dmY

http://youtu.be/h9D13Y1chKk

http://youtu.be/JHGlTr2tka8

http://youtu.be/JHGlTr2tka8



The fact that the dog treat is all natural and made from natural ingredients should be prominently featured as well as the fact that it contains no fillers. As the product has yet to be named, the word “nature” or “natural” should be considered as part of the name. All three brands that have “nature” as part of their name and are currently perceived as being relatively high in quality and the treat may be able to get some lift from this perception as it goes on the market. Made in the USA is a big deal, not only from a likability standpoint, but because it communicates a message that the dog treat is safer than if it came from overseas. This should also be featured prominently on the packaging. The packaging for the ad featuring the jerky treats was opaque, making it impossible to see the product. Following the suggestion of dog owners, part of the bag should be transparent so the treat can be seen. Veggies are considered an important part of a dog’s diet. Although the product is a meat based treat, consideration should be given to a companion product that features vegetables in some form. The brand name is generally considered to be middle of the road with regard to quality and price. Hence launching the treat under the umbrella of the brand name should have a positive effect since recognition of the brand will help communicate a sense of quality, safety, and trust. Advertising should likely steer away from being overly serious and be visually focused as pictures were found to draw the most attention. Pictures appear to be a very big deal and have a high impact on the likability of the ad. Any pictures of dogs, dog owners, or product should be carefully reviewed for effect. Advertising should also capitalize on the known benefit of the dog treat to aid in maintaining a dog’s healthy skin and coat since this was discovered to be a common benefit dog owners are seeking in a dog food. It will be important for the ads to connect with dog owners. This may be best accomplished by featuring the dog as a member of the family, a companion the dog owner has a special bond with, or highlighting the unconditional love the dog has for its owner.


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