P&G, a Dogs Best Friend

Posted on | August 10, 2010 |

By Robert Passikoff

We’ve all heard the maxim, “if you want loyalty, get a dog,” but there’s no one out there more loyal than pet owners. That being the case, P&G, the makers of Iams and Eukanuba dry dog foods, is recalling certain varieties of its dry pet foods as a precaution because the food might be contaminated with salmonella.

While at this time no salmonella-related illnesses have been reported, P&G, the responsible, pet-friendly corporation it is, is urging consumers to immediately discard the recalled products because Fido isn’t the only one at risk of their health. It turns our people handling dry pet food can also become infected with Salmonella if they don’t wash their hands thoroughly.

Being a responsible brand is important, especially if you are talking about pets. More especially if you’re talking about dogs. A dog, after all is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. Which is why emotion plays so large a role in brand engagement and loyalty generally, and for products and services related to pets specifically.

In Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index we only measure canned dog food, but here’s how those brands rank:

1. Purina One
2. Pedigree
3. Alp
4. Hills
5. Gravy Train
6. Iams
7. Kibbles ‘n Bits

A P&G press release stated, “These products are made in a single, specialized facility and in cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.” For more information or refunds, consumers can call P&G at 877-340-8823, because to paraphrase Charles M. Schultz, “happiness is a warm and healthy puppy.”
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Robert Passikoff is President of Brand Keys