The Hill’s brand has been backed by science since 1939. Drawing on the knowledge of vets, scientists and nutritionists, they have developed pet foods that can make a real difference to your pet’s life. As a result: Hill’s is one of the most recommended pet food brands by vets. However, this emphasis on science meant that another equally important part of their brand identity was being overshadowed: their love for pets. The company decided that something had to change. To really connect with consumers, it needed to put more emphasis on the loving, emotional side of the brand: without losing sight of the knowledge and science.   

Pet owners are also a unique and challenging audience. Many customers buy Hill’s because their pet has a specific medical condition. They are often concerned and emotionally driven. So, when we recruited the team, our main criterion was empathy. How do you reassure an owner whose cat has kidney stones? How do you tell an owner that their pet is overweight? And how do you console an owner who has just lost their dog? With a target group like pet owners, empathy is essential. 

Enter RIFF!

Hill’s approached RIFF with this challenge in 2019 – because the best way to communicate the warm, loving qualities of your brand is to speak directly to your consumers. The request? To create an engagement team that interacts with consumers on social media, listens to their pet’s needs and provides them with expert nutritional advice. 

The approach

The collaboration began with a comprehensive workshop to develop the engagement strategy. The team needed to be able to communicate empathetically with concerned pet owners, potentially facing worrying health issues with their pets. Therefore, the established tone was warm, personal and approachable, whilst remaining knowledgeable, decisive and reliable.   

How do you ensure you are offering the right nutritional solution when you have hundreds of food types to choose from for different life stages, needs and conditions? Within weeks, an enthusiastic team of pet lovers was ready to help customers and their four-legged friends. Working closely with Hill’s vets and nutritionists, we found the best solution for each pet. This was a huge responsibility for the team; only by asking the right questions of the customer could Hill’s provide the right nutritional advice.   

As well as providing nutritional advice, the team was also responsible for retaining customers through fun and creative engagement. Aftercare also received a lot of attention, with long-term contact and the occasional card or gift.