Developing an Integrated Communications Marketing Plan

The Challenge:

In 2025, Wanpy, an international pet food company based in China, was preparing to launch its line of Creamy Cat Treats in Brazil, China, Turkey, the US and the UK. I was contracted by Make Honey, a Shenzhen-based marketing agency, to co-develop a go-to-market communication plan that included messaging guidelines, marketing concepts and materials designed to make the brand stand out in a crowded global market. 

The company needed to build awareness of its brand as well as its new product line and three sub-product lines of cat treats. For this project, I supported the Make Honey team by providing market research, three message houses for the sub-product lines, key messages, product pillars, tone of voice and messaging examples, and visual concepts to bring these ideas to life.

The Approach:

Understand Global and National Trends

To get an understanding of global and market-specific trends, we analyzed third-party reports and analysis and determined the top three trends in pet food were:

1. Pet owners were increasingly deal-hunting–with 47% of owners planning to decrease their pet food budget in the next year.

2. The rise of pet supplements & functional foods–the humanization of pets and pet nutrition is fueling demand for digestion, joint and other preventative care in pet food and treats.

3. Single-serve & portion control treats & foods are on the rise–aimed at reducing waste, supporting picky eating and encouraging flavor variety.

Building Personas & Concept Derivation

Before creating message housing and concepts, I analyzed demographics and psychographics to create personas to help Wanpy understand how potential customers vary by market. 

Following personas, we focused on competitor analysis by market. Analyzing their positioning, appeal, marketing approaches and claims, we were able to develop message houses and campaigns

The Results

A comprehensive series of messaging houses built on the brand’s framework, augmented with our research and creative positioning that the client loved.

What We Learned

Initial investment in third-party research can be pricey, but it's necessary to ensure impressions of markets and global trends are accurate.

Keywords and Terms: Branding, Marketing, Research

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