Whiskas Gets New Pack, $10M

Brandweek, March 8, 1999 by Stephanie Thompson

Looking to draw cat owners into its nearly $150 million canned cat food franchise, Mars' Kal Kan division this May will wage an estimated $10 million-plus TV campaign for a new line of high-quality Whiskas Homestyle Favorites products, packaged in flavor-locked pouches new to the wet cat food arena.

TV ads for the new subline are set to begin May 19, with Kal Kan promising retailers it will hit 2 billion households, reaching 89% of Whiskas' target consumer at least 11 times with the message that the new eight SKUs will deliver the taste that's "What cats want."

Ads will play up the convenience of the new 3-oz. stand-up pouches, which will require no can openers or spoons and won't have the sharp metal edges typical of traditional cans, Kal Kan, which saw sales declines of 8.3% for its canned cat foods in supermarkets for the year ended Jan. 31, per IRI, needs the innovation to stave off the threat of specialty giants such as PetsMart, which carry private label and more upscale veterinarian brands.

In addition to the ads, handled by D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, St. Louis, Kal Kan will drop an FSI June 6 touting a buy three, get one free offer and in July will send samples directly to 6.4 million confirmed cat owners. The eight varieties, the first of the line that Kal Kan "intends to enlarge pretty fast," according to one source, include such upscale offerings as Poached Salmon in Sauce, Ocean Whitefish & Tuna Platter in Sauce, and Turkey & Giblets & Gravy, products Kal Kan thinks will get Whiskas some attention versus segment leaders Friskies and Fancy Feast.