Client Goal
Finalize positioning for a new premium wet dog food line by testing which messages were most differentiated and most compelling to small dog owners.

 

Decision at Stake

Which positioning would resonate most strongly in market — and how should it differ across grocery and pet specialty channels before launch?

 

Background
The client wanted to move beyond internal debate and determine which positioning would resonate most strongly in market. Just as important, the team wanted to understand how shopper expectations differed between grocery and pet specialty channels before finalizing launch plans.

 

What We Did
The AND Group designed and executed two in-market pop-up tests across two channels over two weekends—first in pet specialty, then in grocery. The work included research design, test product set-up, a fully marketed demo booth and end-cap display, and in-store engagement led by AND and client researchers. Across the two weekends, the team engaged with more than 250 shoppers and completed 61 intercept interviews.

 

What Changed
The work provided clear direction on the winning positioning and why it worked best. It also gave the team a deeper understanding of how shopper expectations differed across the two channels, helping strengthen both launch messaging and channel-specific go-to-market decisions.