PetSmart

Objectives
For nearly five years, Markowitz Communications was the one and only public relations agency for PetSmart. Throughout that time, our overriding goal was to position PetSmart and its corps of veterinarians, trainers, groomers, nutritionists, fashion consultants and toy and rawhide specialists as the experts in all things pet related. Anytime any media outlet did a pet story, we wanted a PetSmart representative to be quoted as the expert.

Insights
Although we took PetSmart’s business very seriously, we thought it was important to acknowledge that we were talking about dogs and cats – cute dogs and cats wearing cute outfits and playing with cute toys. In other words, we made a tactical decision to take a playful (yet always professional) approach to our materials and our dealings with the media.

Groundwork
When we first arrived at PetSmart (back then it was actually known as PETsMART), we realized the company’s primary means of communicating with the media involved issuing standard looking and reading press releases. We wanted to shake things up. To that end, when the transition from PETsMART to PetSmart took place, we helped to develop the “smart” attitude that continues to define the brand today. We branded dog bowls and filled them withSmarties candy as a means of reaching out to the media and telling them that PetSmart’s experts were available as resources. We created PetSmart’s first media micro-site -- FashionSmart ’05. We then went on to produce the 2006’s Top 14 Holiday Gifts for Pets web cast and the 2007 Top Holiday Gift Ideas for Pets. We also developed the training experts media guide, the Summer Travel or Bust microsite, the Halloween ’07 micro-site (complete with teaser, photo gallery, smart tips, press release and media alert) and the Smart-Es. And we created the “turnkey” materials used to promote PetsHotels and PetSmart store openings throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Strategy
Our work was extensive, but our strategy was simple. Provide the media with viable, timely materials and sources. In addition, we also developed and maintained targeted national and regional media lists that enabled us to find the right reporter in any market (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, New York City, Washington, D.C. …) to pitch. And pitch we did. It is never our policy to simply send out press materials without follow up with phone calls. In addition, we strengthened our client’s media connections by taking PetSmart representatives on New York media tours (they’re first ever). Our trips included meetings with the Associated Press, BusinessWeek and Reuters.

ROI
Through our years with PetSmart we amassed millions – literally millions – of media impressions in national, regional and local outlets. Rather than recount all of our hits, we’ll simply take a closer look at one campaign. Halloween 2007 secured nearly 9.5 million impressions, including stories in USA Today (which featured a photo downloaded from the site) and on Fox & Friends, as well as more than 100 local and regional print and broadcast stories. The print articles and broadcast segments referenced trends, products and PetSmart experts. Total costs for the entire campaign – including photography, design, programming and e-mailing to the media list -- were less than $10,000. The estimated return was $900,000.