Captivating Connections.

nyc pet boom.

The NYTimes has a great slideshow looking at the boom in pet retail, claiming that "New Yorkers may be purchasing fewer luxuries for themselves in this recession, but they seem reluctant to skimp on Fido and Fluffy. As a result, there seems to be a small explosion of pet retailers in New York City."

Check it out (as well as the cute pups!)

consumer still leary of private label when it comes to their kids & pets.

It's common knowledge that private labels brands are increasing in popularity, especially as trust in their quality increases.

However, according to "a recent survey conducted by ICOM, a division of Epsilon Targeting...many consumers are drawing the line when it comes to their children and pets.

Well over half (59%) of respondents to the online survey, conducted in May, indicated that they've switched to store brands to some degree for food and household products during the past six months. Nearly half said the same about their own health products (48%) and personal care products (also 48%).

In contrast, just 12% reported some shift toward private label within child care products, and 23% within pet care products."

Why pets and children? Clearly, children are the most important things in the world to parents, and often pets are seen as children-esque or family members. Some people aren't willing to take the risk.

So what's the takeaway for you? "National brands that understand the psychology behind private label purchasing decisions -- who's switching and why -- and tailor their promotions and incentives accordingly will be more effective at winning back consumers than those that use 'scatter-shot, one-size-fits-all offers.'"

don't forget the 4-legged friends.

Just because there's a pinch in your spending doesn't mean that Fluffy is not longer a concern:

"Even as the financial squeeze is making it increasingly tough to cover living basics, pet owners are striving to do their best by their four-legged family members, according to a new survey conducted by Impact Research for The Goodlife Recipe Pet Care Company, a division of Mars, Inc."

man's (and woman's and child's) best friends.

Pet owners understand how important their little fluffies are to their families, and, as more and more people get them, the opportunity for pet brands becomes increasingly lucrative:

"Over 70 million US households own more than 88 million cats and nearly 75 million dogs, according to a 2007-2008 survey of US pet owners. In 2007, Americans spent over US$ 41 billion on their pets, about $17 billion of which was on pet food, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA).

The pet food category alone is proof that a veritable brand war is underway. Research firm Euromonitor says sales of dog and cat food worldwide reached over US$ 45 billion as of fall 2007, with a compound annual growth rate of close to 3 percent projected through 2012."