Batteries...not the next pink

Battery maker Rayovac announced today it will change its name to Spectrum Brands, to better reflect the wider range of products offered this year.

The company will be selling lots of lawn, garden and specialty pet supplies, and maybe the Ray-o-pet and Dog-o-vac brands didn't test well in focus groups.

The new products were acquired last month, along with the name Spectrum Brands, from a $1.2 billion acquisition of United Industries, which itself does about $1 billion in sales per year to Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, PETCO, and PETsMART.

Hopefully they'll include batteries with their dog toys.

The family dog

The concept of the pet as 'one of the family' will continue to motivate the buyer of pet products and services in 2005. In fact, this attitude has become so pervasive in the United States that the legal system is changing to address the shift. Fido is not a watchdog any more, but a child. Laws already on the books in Colorado, Massachusetts, California and Rhode Island make pet owners essentially pet guardians.

And our spending habits confirm this trend. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association 2003/2004 National Pet Owners Survey, the greatest expense for pet owners over a 12-month period is veterinary care. Then food.

Is college next?

(I'm not kidding. I always say to myself, "No more. No new product or idea can surprise me in this industry." And I'm always wrong.)

Products and services in 2005 will truly make the puppy feel like one of the family. Just like us, dogs will eat healthier and more specialty food: organic, low carb, vegetarian and diet foods will be aggressively marketed this year by some large companies.

And, of course, what dog in its right mind would go outside for a pee and to run naked around a park without vitamins, contraceptives, and pet insurance?


Related Posts:
Pet Evac Roundup
PetSmart and FEMA
No-pet policy is 'a lousy plan'
Lesson for FEMA: feed the dog
Pets and hurricane Katrina