According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent $4.41 billion on dog services, such as grooming and boarding in 2013. It’s estimated over-all pet spending on food, supplies and vet care reached almost $60 billion last year. Yup, marketing is going to the dogs.
As the proud dog mother of the world famous DataDogs, Kobe and Kaycee, both of whom have their own pages on the Dataman Group website, I can certainly attest to the fact that the cost of their designer food, paying their dog walker, the monthly bath/nail trim, the filtered water (nothing but the best for my pups), plus the dreaded trips to the vet for “stuff”, like the time Kaycee ate the metal hook right out of the wall (now that was a memorable x-ray), runs in the thousands each year.
But I don’t begrudge them a cent of what I spend on them. They are my dogs and I love them dearly.
In today’s Sun-Sentinel I read an article about the Bus Service provided by the University of Doglando, a doggy day care center in Orlando. Kudos to them for offering something other companies aren’t offering and differentiating themselves in the marketplace. And, at $5 a ride, it’s a bargain compared to sitting in I-4 traffic twice a day.
Pet owners will spend whatever it takes on their pets. We are on all sorts of great pet owner lists so we are easy to reach by direct mail. We will clip coupons, check out new trainers, buy invisible fences, need grooming services, order gourmet food by the mail.
Yes, we will spend lots of $$ on our pets. And we are happy to do it. And that’s why I say that marketing is going to the dogs!
