2010 Summit Speaker Synopsis Part IX

The International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies Presents:
WikiBrands ~ Reinventing your Business in a Customer-Driven Marketplace
Presenter: Mike Dover, Socialstruct Advisory Group


Based on the upcoming book Wikibrands: Reinventing Your Company in a Customer-Driven Marketplace this presentation discusses how companies can deploy technology to engage customers in discussions about their brands in a meaningful way.

For the longest period of time companies created products and services, pushed them out to their customers using the tools of the period. The 4Ps of marketing were sacrosanct – product, place, promotion and price. When strategies were formed, these customer functions were in the business of planning and pushing out these messages, through media intermediaries. The message was controlled; our role as consumers was to listen and buy. Now faced with a dramatic shift in how the technology-enabled collaboration changes relationships, an Internet-savvy generation will bring about huge changes in business and culture. 

2010 Summit Speaker Synopsis Part VII

The International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies Presents:
Homing Animals in the Canadian Urban Environment
Presenter: Lisa Chen, Socialstruct


Petlynx has conducted a number of empirical research studies to investigate public opinion and metrics on behalf of the industry.  This presentation discusses how we can best mine the plethora of existing data and the strategies we can use to collect real-time market intelligence on a go forward basis.  Among the areas we will discuss are the following:

Small Dogs Are a BIG Market

North American Urban Animal Survey Highlight

One of the purposes of the 2008 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS) was to determine the size of the companion animal industry in Canada. The study indicated that there are more than 4.8 million households with cats and 4.4 million households with dogs.

The 2009 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS), delved deeper into understanding how pet-owners feel about their animal companions and what factors drive their decisions to provide various levels of care – or not. It identified four distinct types – or segments – of dog owners and three types of cat owners.

The results of this research are intriguing! It revealed, for example, that “Dog Pleasers” – those who share the deepest bond with their dogs but are only “fairly responsible” dog owners – seem to favour dogs under 20-pounds. While this segment represented only 21% of the total dog-owning population, almost half of them owned little dogs…. And a significant number of these little dogs were over the age of five.

How can this information help my organization?

This type of data can assist you in planning and implementing targeted and effective humane education and responsible pet ownership messages, as well as market specific products and services to pet owners. Targeted marketing is more effective than taking a "shotgun approach." Time invested in sound research saves money in the long term!

Find out how to subscribe to the North American Urban Animal Survey.

Learn more about the National and Regional Summits For Urban Animal Strategies.

“Just Pets” or “Members of the Family”?

North American Urban Animal Survey Highlight

The 2009 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS), presented at the 2009 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies, revealed that dog owners fit into four main categories:

· Engaged Dog Lovers (30%)

· Dog Pleasers (21%)

· Canine Traditionalists (22%)

· Canine Pragmatists (27%)

Why is this important to know and understand?

Recognizing that not all dog owners share the same level of affinity for their canine companions is vital for the animal welfare and animal services industries. It should influence how (and why) we market various goods and services to the general population.

While we would all like to believe that all dog owners view their pets as valued members of the family, this research validates that this is not the case. Canine Pragmatists, for example, have only a moderate emotional connection with their dogs and Canine Traditionalists are less bonded with their dogs, when compared to Dog Pleasers and Engaged Dog Owners.

In addition to providing a thorough analysis of how each of these four dog-owner segments and three cat-owner segments viewed their pets’ status in the family unit, the 2009 NAUAS also delved into various aspects of pet ownership, such as their roles and responsibilities as animal care providers, their understanding of spaying and neutering, the level of training they have provided for their pets and much more.

This timely and targeted research could prove to be an invaluable tool to help you with your marketing efforts!

Find out how to subscribe to the North American Urban Animal Survey.

Learn more about the National and Regional Summits For Urban Animal Strategies.

Summit Presentation Synopsis #3

Survey Says!
Presenter: David Web, Research Consultant, dmrkynetec

The results of the 2009 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS) ~ the Responsible Pet Owner Segmentation Study ~ are sure to be an eye-opener for all of us!

"The presentation will go far beyond superficial attitudes and behaviours to provide us with never-before-seen information about the underlying motivations of pet owners," explains Webb. "This research was specifically designed to be relevant for all members of the companion animal chain."

The NAUAS encompasses the results from 1500 interviews with cat and dog owners in Canada. It includes a segmentation of these pet owners that will distill this diverse group into four or five basic typologies (or segments) based on their attitudes and behaviours relating to pet care. This analysis will help industry stakeholders better understand pet owners and allow for more informed decisions regarding how to best reach this market.

"Given that the topic for this year's Summit is Urban Cats, the presentation will pay particular attention to the different attitudes and behaviours between cat and dog owners and the segments that exists between these two groups," adds Webb. "Only by truly understanding the unique characteristics and motivations of cat owners can the industry develop the necessary strategies to reach this group and maximize the opportunities."

2009 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS)

You have questions. We will have answers!

• Does the average pet guardian think a spayed or neutered pet makes a better behaved pet?
• Do they think that mandatory pet licensing is just a "cash grab" for their city?
• If a pet guardian gets a prescription for their pet, how many follow through with proper administration of the drug?
• When buying pet food, is price the deciding factor?
• How has the economy impacted attitudes about pet care?
  

These and dozens of other important questions will be addressed in the 2009 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS) being conducted in September. The results will be presented at the National Summit for Urban Animal Strategies to be held at the Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta, in mid-October.

The Responsible Pet Owner Segmentation Survey is the third of its kind to be conducted by Calgary-based PetLynx Corporation on behalf of its many industry partners.

"The cumulative answers to these questions will enable us to better understand 'the big picture' of important issues affecting pet guardians and the pet care industry in North America," explains David Webb, research consultant with dmrkynetec, the leading global supplier of market research to the agriculture, animal health and nutrition industries. "When we have a better concept of 'the big picture' we can develop broad-based strategies to address the big problems."

Webb adds that the methodology used in this "segmentation analysis" will divide the overall cat- and dog-owning population to four or five basic typologies. This will help us better understand their underlying motivations and beliefs with regard to pet care. With this information, we can be better equipped to deliver targeted and powerful responsible pet ownership messages.

"In the past, the companion animal industry as a whole has been forced to make important financial and legislative decisions based on common beliefs and internal statistics, not sound research," adds Petlynx Corporation's President, Larry Evans. "Big industry players, like pet food manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, may have been in a position to fund their own research. But those of us at the front lines... the animal control centres, shelters, small retailers and veterinarians have been limited to our own internal data resources, which may not tell the whole story."

"Because this research is being conducted on a collaborative basis across Canada and the United States," concludes Webb, "it is a cost-efficient and affordable means of providing all facets of the pet industry -- from large corporations, to municipalities, to small service providers -- with a wealth of information that would otherwise be totally out of reach for them."

If you are interested in participating as a subscriber to the Responsible Pet Owner Segmentation Survey you must act now! Click here for details on how to sign on as a subscriber.