Case Studies

Plant-Based Pet Food

SERVICE: Insight-Led Growth Strategy

Photo of black and white dog

CHALLENGE

How can a DTC-native, early mover in plant-based pet food refine its value proposition to expand beyond vegans?

BACKGROUND

Our client began as many mission-driven brands do: fully focused on changing the world, in this case, by reducing the animal suffering and carbon footprint of the pet food industry. However, after maximizing its reach with early adopters, the brand needed a new playbook to win with a broader set of pet parents.

APPROACH

  • Conducted an “Attitudes, Awareness & Usage” study that established a foundational understanding of the pet food market, especially the distinct attitudinal profile of our client's consumers vs. other category consumers

  • Uncovered a key insight that sustainability and animal welfare were not scalable or ownable benefits in plant-based pet food

  • Shifted the brand to focus on a benefit that was more meaningful to the Growth Consumer: allowing pet parents to care for their pets with the same love and attention to wellness that they would for other family members

DELIVERABLES

  • Consumer Manifesto that defined the Target Consumer

  • New set of consumer-tested brand messages and attributes

  • Input on creative brief used to refresh the brand

RESULTS

  • Immediate improvement in performance marketing metrics using our recommended messaging

  • Informed a complete redesign of the brand, its DTC site, and its marketing communication