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Traditional advertising remains the top way for pet parents to find out about new pet-related products and brands, according to a new survey commissioned by FWV Fetching.
The survey, which was conducted by The Harris Poll from June 28-30, asked 1,493 US pet owners 18 and over about their pets and how they shop for them.
Two out of five respondents (40 percent) said that traditional ads (print, radio, TV) were one of the sources they consulted when looking for new products for their pets. Review sites (29 percent) came in second, followed by digital advertising (24 percent).
Not only were older pet owners more likely to consult traditional ad sources, they were also considerably less likely to rely on sources such as digital ads or company social media pages. While more than a quarter of pet owners between 18 and 34 (27 percent) said they use official product or company social media, those sources were cited by only nine percent of those over 55.
Perhaps not surprisingly, younger consumers were also more likely to get product information from influencer sites fronted by either human or pet personalities. More than a third of those between 18 and 34 (37 percent) said they use pages hosted by a human influencer, while only 15 percent of those 35 and over said they do so. For influencer sites based on pet personalities, the breakdown was 30 percent for those 18-34 and 15 percent for those 35 and over.
Some pet owners, however, have opted to do their own research, with 14 percent saying they do not use any marketing channels to discover pet brands.
“Although the pet products and marketing industries have both evolved and transformed in response to new technologies, tools and digital offerings in recent years, our research shows that some of our tried-and-true methods of reaching consumers are still relevant for a majority of pet owners,” said FWV Fetching founder and current special counsel Kristen Levine. “That said, as older generations age of out of pet ownership, it will be critical for members of the pet care community and their marketing partners to utilize and prioritize the channels younger generations are frequenting, like human and pet social media influencers.”
FWV Fetching is part of French|West|Vaughan.
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