National Pet Food Recall
Situation:
When tainted pet food from China was pulled from store shelves in March of 2007, beloved pets were falling ill and dying and negative national and international media coverage was mounting, Ceres leadership spearheaded the effort to protect the brand equity of the nation’s leading pet specialty retailer.
Approach:
- Counseled senior management on a strategic response, positioning the company as a knowledgeable, empathetic and responsive source of essential information.
- Launched a Web site within 24 hours of the first recall, which quickly became preferred online source for up-to-the-minute information.
- Conducted immediate and ongoing communications with concerned and affected pet owners.
- Trained staff veterinarians as expert spokespeople and established relationships with credible third-party resources, such as the FDA, who spoke on the company’s behalf.
- Armed the company’s 43,000 associates with detailed information that allowed them to completely and compassionately work with concerned customers.
- Opened a dialog with customers and monitored perception through blogs and other social media channels.
Results:
- Surveys conducted three and six months after the recall showed no negative brand impact, despite the high profile, extended nature of the crisis.
- Pet owners and the press reported that they relied on the company for advice and solutions during the recall.
- Long-term research showed an increase in consumer awareness and affinity for the company’s brand.