Petco Spreads the 'Joy'

Petco abandoned the "Crazy About Pets" campaign it ran for the 2012 and 2013 holiday seasons in favor of a "Joy. Love. Pets" theme this year.The theme plays out heavily in stores via dump bins, ceiling signs, sidekicks and packaging for seasonally relevant store-brand products. Upfront table displays merchandise gift cards and seasonal treats. The P-O-P program also incorporates account-specific displays from brands including Quaker Pet Group's Sherpa, WellPet's Wellness, Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance, Dallas Manufacturing's Brinkmann Pet and the flagship brands of Blue Buffalo Co. and Merrick Pet Care.The retailer is also running a "Joy. Love. Pets" photo contest on Instagram from Nov. 23 to Dec. 18. Consumers enter by posting a holiday pet photo using the hashtag #JoyLovePetsContest. A panel of judges awards one winner each week with a $1,000 store gift card. Facebook updates support. The retailer ran a similar "Crazy About Pets" contest in 2013. (See "Petco's Holidays …" in Related Articles.)Petco additionally employed this year's theme on the front page of its Nov. 28 circular and in a separate two-page Black Friday tab. The latter offered Pals Rewards loyalty cardholders a free ornament picture frame and a $20 Shutterfly gift card with either an in-store or online purchase on Nov. 28. Ads in multiple emails also promoted the Black Friday deals.Elsewhere, local and national TV spots using the theme promote deals on in-store spa services, Natural Balance pet food and store-brand cat furniture along with the Pals Rewards program.Cause campaigns are again a major part of the retailer's holiday marketing program. Manufacturer Halo, Purely for Pets is pledging to donate $1 to the Petco Foundation for every bag of Halo dog food purchased in stores from Nov. 29 to Dec. 24 (up to $50,000). Merrick Pet Care will provide a meal to a shelter for every can of wet dog food purchased between Nov. 7 and Dec. 24 (up to 335,000 meals or $1 million).The retailer itself is soliciting donations in stores and online for its annual "Tree of Hope" fundraiser (see "Petco Goes …") benefitting The Petco Foundation, with counter cards promoting the effort in stores and a feature in the retailer's Nov. 28 circular supporting. In-store events offering photos with Santa and sales of 2015 calendars again benefit the nonprofit.The retailer's Unleashed by Petco stores are also partnering with Kong Co. to make one donation of the manufacturer's flagship toy to a local shelter for every SKU purchased from Dec. 1-24. On Nov. 28 and 29, purchases of a bag of pet food from brands including Halo, Merrick, Natural Balance and the flagships of Canidae and I and Love and You also triggered a donation of the same SKU to an area rescue organization.In other seasonal activity, Natural Balance sponsored workshops at Petco stores on Nov. 15 at which shoppers could make an ornament from an imprint of their pet's paw. Participants also received a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase. Stores additionally hosted seminars on Nov. 15 and 16 to offer tips on keeping pets calm during holiday gatherings.

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