The DTC Pet Industry is experiencing rapid growth right now. Why? Well, one reason is that compared to other industries, customer retention rates are higher in the pet industry. Also, the DTC brands trend in this industry is relatively new and there's a whole market still loyal to retailers that new brands can catch and acquire.
Another reason for the success of pet products in the DTC space is... the product itself. Pets are naturally present in our "social media" life, which makes social media advertising quite natural in this industry. It's easy to showcase benefits and to catch attention. So yeah - there are thousands of things to learn from this industry when it comes to digital marketing and capturing audience attention.
So today, we’re sharing some of the best advertising approaches we’ve seen from pet food DTC brands. What makes these techniques effective? You’ll find efficient ad hooks and format, the use of relevant content, emotional appeal to pet lovers, and more.
- Highlight the main problems your product addresses
- Be transparent about what your product is made of
- Collaborate with famous pet parents
- Be a source of expert tips and advice
- Use UGC to tell inspiring pet stories
1. Highlight the main problems your product addresses
You want to establish your brand as the best solution to a major problem that most pet owners experience. And if that problem, let’s say a health issue of their pet, is something they deal with daily and seriously, it would be best to show the practicality and convenience your product can provide.
This video ad from Smalls is a great example of showing how to address cats’ health problems by using a “question hook” to present a widely relatable issue, that is, having digestive problems and rejecting their food. Given that pet’s eating habit is a major factor to worry about, the hook they used was very effective in grabbing attention. You would also note a straightforward approach in this ad as it mentions the product as the solution right after identifying the problem. So in just a short period, you’ll get the main idea of what they’re pitching about.
In this quick video ad, Sundays managed to list down 3 benefits of their pet food as compared to fresh frozen products. They tackled the most basic issues like the budget, storage, and preparation time. Here, they used the “3 reasons why __________” hook. It was well presented because they complement each topic with a background clip which even emphasized the problem. This shows that combining elements in a video will make it more engaging.
2. Be transparent about what your product is made of
Share the composition of the products you offer. Why? Because people care about the ingredients they put inside their bodies. As pet parents, it is pretty much the same for their pets too — to keep them safe and avoid harm, to make them healthy, and to ensure the effectiveness of these products. Ultimately, it will help your customers make informed decisions about what they are buying and consuming.
Here are two best examples of ads from Cat Person. They do extremely well in discussing the ingredients of their cat food. It makes the campaign even stronger by choosing to use a doctor/food scientist to explain the reasons behind the composition of each package. The box shows clearly what’s inside using bold, huge fonts. And, the breakdown of ingredients in percentage is genius. Readers can easily comprehend this type of content presentation.
In the other video, they used a clever format — a side-by-side explanation of product composition and its actual usage. Plus, the part where they confirmed that the product has no grains, and no fillers is especially useful for those pets with food allergies, known intolerances, and other digestive issues.
So, format and context-wise, we can say that these ads are brilliant!
3. Collaborate with famous pet parents
Inspire your audience through popular pet parents who regularly share content related to their pets.
Jinx in their recent ads, is partnering with a famous American actor Chris Evans known to have a special relationship with his dog Dodger.
Evans ****has a lot of followers ****on Instagram which include pet parents as he usually shares content about his dog. Thanks to this approach, your products will reach a wider pet audience with more social media engagement and will eventually lead to more sales.
We love this ad because it looks like an authentic interview video with Chris Evans. Here, you will notice how naturally he spoke about his partnership with the brand, the product’s quality, and his emotional stand about the dog's provision of clean and healthy food without compromise. It’s powerful in connecting emotionally with the audience.
In this ad, Jinx used an image type of asset but it presents the same thing — Chris Evans using and supporting the brand for his dog, sealed with his signature.
In this ad, Jinx used an image type of asset but it presents the same thing — Chris Evans using and supporting the brand for his dog, sealed with his signature.
4. Be a source of expert tips and advice
Posting interesting and relevant content is one way to bring your brand closer to your pet-loving audience. They’ll love to see enthusiasm from a brand that will lead them to trust it even more. Butternut Box shares from time to time doctor’s recommendations in their ad videos. With this approach, you are showing that you're part of your audience's life through their pets instead of trying to sell right away in every ad. And it’s an excellent way to show your expertise in this field.
This ad is one good example of showing genuine concern for animals, thus sharing tips from a veterinarian to combat ticks.
This video, again from the same vet, gives a friendly reminder to always bring water for your dogs, especially during summer. Both videos have no sales pitch, just interesting subjects. This approach works wonders in establishing audience interest and trust in your brand.
5. Use UGC to tell inspiring pet stories
Co-create content with like-minded pet owners. Since people connect with people, posting User-Generated Content type of videos is a great way to tap into more audiences without having to do all the stuff. Let the customers speak for your products. After all, they are the best source of testimonials.
A lot of people can’t help but share amazing experiences they’ve had with a product, something they consider as life-changing. And most of them hope that someone can relate to their story. And that they’re being helpful in a way.
Just Food For Dogs uploads this video from pet owners who shared a unique story about their dog in association with her health condition. We like how the ad is full of details and is packed with emotion and genuineness from real customers.
Pet owners want the absolute best for their fur babies. They are willing to spend money on products they find exceptionally valuable to their pets’ lives. Take this as an opportunity to put your brand forward. We’ve curated ad inspiration in this long list so you and your team will have more insights into creating your own content.
