Pets Consumer Insights

Trend - The customization of pet care now comes in many forms–whether that's in meals and supplements, or in therapy and chatbot-based services. This trend indicates an enhanced focus on quality pet care that is preventative rather than reactive.

Insight - North American consumers are increasingly focused on their personal wellbeing–a shift that has now translated over to the people or beings that are in their care. "Wellness" is now an umbrella term that describes industries ranging from food and beverage to fitness, and is often curated in a way that's personal to the customer. Thus, consumers have now extended all the health-minded practices they've adopted from the wellness space, and are now refocusing them into their children and/or pets.

Trend - As selfie culture persists, we’re seeing products and accessories continue to expand to appease this generation of consumers, and in this case, specifically calling out pets. In order to capture the perfect picture with their pets, products that boast distraction capabilities are being made.

Insight - Today's selfie culture highlights emerging consumer priorities when it comes to their everyday technology usage and their need to include those they love. As consumers continue to place great importance on their social media identities, brands are releasing products that enable them to share their closest moments and experiences with their followers.

Trend - Seeking to make more meaningful connections, brands are turning to activations and engagements that encourage the attendance of furry companions. Not only limited to pet brands themselves, those outside the category are jumping in to create pet-friendly environments centered around everything from art to food and beverage.

Insight - Social media creates open environments for consumers to share parts of their lives. As a result, everything from the food they're eating to the pets they own can potentially paint a person in a more relatable light and create a sense of community with like-minded individuals. Thus, these connection-craving consumers are seeking more creative ways to exercise and share different parts of their lifestyle.

Trend - Where once training a dog required consistent discipline, today's tech-infused training tools fulfill this by allowing pet owners and trainers to discipline dogs humanely through the use of sound or haptic feedback. This speaks to pet owner's desire to have convenient tools that prioritize leisure activities over chores like disciplining and training their pets.

Insight - Consumers who spend the majority of their days away from their pets want to focus more on play than they do on training. The desire to enjoy the limited time they have to spend with their pets is often stronger than their desire to take care of the responsibilities associated with pet ownership. Thus, consumers turn to external tools and services that do the work for them, so they can use their time on the recreational aspects of pet care.

Trend - Brands are catering to the bond between pet owners and their loving animals by creating events that mimic social interactions that people take part in. This shift opens the door to experiential opportunities that enhance brand and consumer relationships, by bridging urban consumers' recreational habits with their personal responsibilities.

Insight - With self-reported feelings of loneliness growing globally, many in North America are turning to alternative forms of socialization in order to take care of their mental health. Activities that are within their comfort zone and familiar to them–but that still require spending some time outside of the home–are able to offer a balance between traditional social habits like hosting or attending events with friends and family, with more unique experiences that they don't have to share with other people.

Trend - Catering to animal lovers and the bond between owners and their pets, social outlets are putting more emphasis on engaging and interacting with them. While animal videos have long been a go-to online destination, a shift toward more live, on-demand experiences are emerging where platforms like Snapchat are creating a more inclusive experience for pets and their owners.

Insight - Today’s urban-based consumer often has some restrictions on when and how they engage with their pets. Things like busy professional schedules and limited space tend to create guilt in pet owners that can’t interact with their animals as much as (or how) they’d like. These consumers are drawn to brands that are able to foster those interactions in a way that’s enriching to the lives of both them and their pets.

Trend - The popularity of the supplement industry is increasingly extending to the pet space, with owners looking to preemptively care for any health problems that may arise in their pets in the future. These preventative care models could ensure that consumers can mitigate the costs associated with compounded health issues down the road.

Insight - Consumers are increasingly prioritizing prevention when it comes to their health. With the growth of the "wellness" movement, consumers' don't just perceive health as an end goal, but as an ongoing process that involves both prevention and reaction (if necessary). The ultimate goal is to avoid or lessen the impact of future problems, rather than dealing with issues as they come. This extends not just to themselves, but to those that are in their care.

Trend - Showing pets the same amount of care and attention as they would themselves, consumers are turning to freshly made, organic pet food options to help support ongoing health. Taking into account the move away from processed food options, brands in the pet space are making bigger efforts to create specialized options to appease those looking for healthier alternatives.

Insight - The growth of the pet care industry has come with more consumers owning pets, as well as those same consumers spending more time away from the home as they balance their responsibilities. The guilt associated with leaving pets for longer periods of time has resulted in pet owners taking more consideration in their purchase decisions–things like food, toys and security are all enhanced as try to raise their pets' quality of life.

Trend - Few have the time to prepare home-made meals for their pets, yet the rise of maker culture gives people the sense that this is a common practice. Leveraging this, pet food manufacturers are tapping into homestyle branding.

Insight - Many modern consumers value authenticity when making purchase decisions. For these individuals, authenticity can be observed when brands align to their personal preferences or values—and when brands give them opportunities to reflect their authentic selves in the home, workplace, or among peers. The focus on authenticity comes from consumers placing an increasingly high value on quality balanced with convenience.

Implications - Digital platforms that allow pet owners to connect to veterinary services are increasingly popular, as hands-on pet care is on the rise among consumers. Though not as thorough as in-person appointments, these services aim to protect the general health of domestic animals, while prioritizing accessibility for consumers who may face more barriers–like cost and transport–to accessing vet services.