According to a surevey by the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association, 71 million homes have some kind of pet – that’s 63% of US all households. With that many pet owners, it would seem that almost any kind of marketing plan could reach a pet owner and have a positive effect. The reality, however, is that a clever marketing plan needs to reach that pet owner in a manner that stands out from other marketing plans.
Like many medical professionals, marketing was not the emphasis in veterinary medical school. Typically, Veterinarians (“Vets”) have either learned to market from a trial and error approach or spent thousands on marketing consultants. But today’s marketing plans need to stand out from the pack and take advantage of current technology.
The traditional newspaper, for example, has lost its luster. As the desire to read a newspaper diminishes, the publishers are placing less emphasis on their quality, and as quality diminishes so do readers and ultimately advertisers. The yellow pages don’t fare much better. When is the last time you looked up a local business in the yellow pages. Today, consumers need to be reached throughout their day…while online, at the gas station, while shopping and even while in a waiting room.
With the power of technology, video advertising is taking over as the delivery vehicle of choice. When comparing a print ad to a video ad, there is no comparison. While a print ad is static, a video ad can deliver a powerful moving message full of both visual and audio information. Video ads can be placed online, at the doctor’s office, at the gas pump and even in email campaign.