Marketing Brief Prepared by Gabriel Valdivia
History The Iams Company was named for its founder, Paul Iams, the son of a humble feed store owner. Iams worked with his father during the great depression, peddling his father’s inexpensive dogo food to area kennels an veterinary clinics. In 1946 he founded the Iams Company. Paul was convinced pet owners would pay more for a better product and came out with its first premium dog food, Iams 999, in 1950. Inspired by a visit to a mink ranch, Paul Iams was convinced that dogs were in need of a higher protein, higher fat food than was commercially available. Iams noticed that the dogs in the mink ranch were exceptionally healthy, with beautiful and shiny coats. This became the thesis that separated Iams from every other pet food brand. He based his product in the mink’s diet, researching pet diets and methods of processing protein. In 1961, Iams came up with an improved brand, Iams Plus. Called the pet food’s industry’s first complete diet because it did not require any additives. As a result of Paul Iams development, the new food was both high in protein and low in harmful minerals, giving them a lead amongst their competitors which seemed to have ignored that at the time. With many ups and downs, the company continued a successful career throughout the years. The ownership and marketing strategies changed a few times, giving the company a bit of an identity crisis. Iams was first conceived as an elitist pet food brand not to be sold at supermarkets, this is evident in their 1993 marketing slogan: “If you’re in the market for the best pet food, get out of the supermarket!”. By 2006, Iams teamed up with 1900 to find loving homes for more than 32,8000 orphaned pets. The company increased the awareness on pet owners of a good, well balanced pet diet and continued to successfully brand their product among their key demographics.
Target Audience The new marketing initiative will be addressed to adults between the ages of 30 to 40 years old. Men and women who are proud family owners and are conscious about the benefits of feeding your pet a healthy nutritious diet. These individuals take pride in their pets and are concerned about their health. They are very family oriented; sometimes the pet owners are the children in the family. As decision makers, the parents need to educate their children of the benefits of Iams Pet Food.
Psychographs The empowered and In Control Iams is aimed towards more educated, more affluent, refined, very motivated, bold, courageous demanding of quality and confident individuals. These individuals decide fast and do not subscribe to the group think mindset. They are independent thinkers. They want the best because they believe they are the best and deserve the best.
Problem Identification Iams Company, although succesful, fails to be the leader in the dry pet food industry. With 12% Iams shares the second spot along with Hill’s Pet Nutrition, falling behind Purina who controls the market with an abolishing 30%. This is due to the failure in differentiating its key points in contrast to their competitors. Iams is also wrongly thought of as an elitist kind of pet food, limiting their target audience to “those who can afford it”. This is very limiting to their progress due to the current economic downfall that the U.S. is undergoing.
Dry Pet Food Market Share
14%
4% 30%
7%
10%
11% 12% 12%
Goals & Objectives Complete overhaul of its image in order to reinvent the conception of the brand and abandon any missconception of its process. In order to gain more market share, Iams needs to address the decision-making adults between 30 to 40 years old who are undergoing this economic recession and appeal to their needs. Educate customers of the benefits of feeding your pet a nutritionally complete diet. And provide security to customers that they are making a correct decision within the oversaturated market and its surplus of options.
Implementation Package Re-design This will make it easier for the consumer to identify with the product and differentiate it in the market.
Collectible Trade Cards This will raise awareness of a healthy diet for the consumer’s pet as well as engage them and their family in creating a need that is different from its competition.
Advertising Campaign This will include flyers, posters, and internet advertisement that will educate the consumer of the benefits of using Iams, and their adoption campaign that is being sponsored by many contributors in the industry