Could a children’s toy manufacturer with a reputation for product quality succeed at extending its brand into the pet toy and accessory market? That’s the question we helped answer by developing a robust insights approach that was designed to guide innovation efforts based on the attitudes, behaviors and needs of pet owners.
The company’s CEO was looking for new revenue streams that aligned with its core manufacturing strengths. He charged the brand and R&D teams with identifying potential extensions within the pet category. Was there a go-to-market strategy for innovative new products and what was the right segment for them?
To build foundational insights, immersive techniques — including small customer workshops along with in-home and shop-a-longs — were conducted among passionate pet owners.
During this phase, customers need states, barriers to market entry, and opportunities were identified. From these insights, a segmentation study among 800 pet owners using a choice-based approach helped prioritize needs for product development and identify the customer segments with the greatest potential.
The integrated quantitative and qualitative approach revealed that product quality was a strong purchase motivation among pet owners, and three segments were identified based on their desire to engage the entire family in play with the pet.
The CEO complimented the team by saying, “this is the most customer-focused project we’ve ever done.” Based on the insights, ideation sessions among the brand and R&D teams drove new product design.
