Ads promote value of regular veterinary visits
The Partners for Healthy Pets advertising campaign that began in late 2013 is continuing throughout 2014 to promote annual veterinary visits for cats and dogs.
The mission of the Partners for Healthy Pets is to ensure that pets receive regular preventive care. The members are the AVMA, American Animal Hospital Association, American Veterinary Medical Foundation, and more than 100 other organizations—including regional, state, and local veterinary associations; veterinary colleges; and corporate partners. The AVMA is contributing $1 million to the advertising campaign.
The campaign’s television, print, and online advertisements convey the message that regular veterinary visits are as essential for pets as food and love. In one version of the ads, a cat or dog bears a clothing label reading: “Special care instructions: Feed daily. Yearly checkups. Love forever.”
The various versions of the ads point pet owners to www.healthypetcheckup.org. The website provides information such as the rationale for a yearly checkup and some components of a physical examination for a cat and a dog. Pet owners can register to receive annual reminders to schedule a checkup, search for a veterinarian via the AVMA’s MyVeterinarian.com, or search for an AAHA-accredited hospital.
The television advertisements are appearing as public service announcements on outlets such as Fox, the Travel Channel, DIY Network, HGTV, and the Food Network. The print ads are running in the magazines Family Fun, People, Prevention, Real Simple, Shape, and O, The Oprah Magazine.
Advertisements are appearing on the Web via online advertising services and on specific websites such as CNN, Petfinder, and Yahoo. Ads accompany search results for keywords such as “pet vaccinations,” “dog tick removal,” and questions for vet.”
The campaign also features five veterinarian spokeswomen to communicate with consumer and professional audiences.
Free resources are available at www.partnersforhealthypets.org to help veterinary practices promote regular veterinary visits and bring the national campaign into the clinic. The website offers a toolbox to help practices deliver preventive care, success stories, and ready-to-use pieces from the campaign.
By enrolling at www.partnersforhealthypets.org/join.aspx, practices can receive a monthly electronic newsletter about engagement with the campaign, including updates and information on how to use campaign materials.
Related JAVMA content:
Ads to promote visits to veterinarians (Oct. 15, 2013)