Memo to Mr. Mulally: Opportunity is Scratching at Ford’s Door, Part 3

To: Alan Mulally, CEO, Ford Motor Company
      Sheryl Connelly, Mgr. Global Trends and Futuring
From: Tom Collins, Co-founder of BlogPaws, Ford Fan

(For Part 1 click here.
For Part 2 click here.)

So ... what's missing from Ford's picture of the American family?

 
We should start by recognizing that Ford places high on current lists of pet-safe vehicles, with the Edge being named "Pet Safe Vehicle of the Year" in 2010, by Bark Buckle UP and AskPatty. Pet Connection reports the Flex and Transit also made the top 10.

But frankly, the criteria for judging the competition is pretty thin.

According to the Pet Connection post: "The safety features that qualify these vehicles are rear climate control, side curtain airbags and d-rings to harness pets." Only the d-rings have much to do with the most serious risks to pets and people in an accident.

This is a BIG DEAL.

"Most people don't think about it, but in only a 35 mph accident with a 60-pound pet it becomes a 2,700-pound projectile. This will injure the pet, passengers, driver or the pet may escape the vehicle and cause a second accident or become agitated and bite the first responder that is on scene doing their job," explained Christina Selter of Bark Buckle UP.

And that's where the BIG OPPORTUNITY for Ford comes in.

The trend that should have been part of your Safety and Security for All Ages discussion was summed up by Bob Vetere, President of the American Pet Products Association in announcing their 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey results:

"[P]et owners have accepted that their pets are like children and they enjoy indulging their pet more than ever." (Emphasis added.)

He added, "Pet owners aren’t just looking to provide a home for their pets, they are investing in their pets’ quality of life. Often times they do this at their own expense, cutting personal expenses, but not those affecting their faithful companions."

The proof of this trend toward treating pets as full members of the family lies in the fact that the pet products industry has continued growing at a healthy pace right through the recent tough economic times:

$45.5 Billion in 2009
$48.3 Billion in 2010 - up 6.2%
$50.8 Billion in 2011 - up 5.1% (estimated)

And a significant chunk of that spending is going to transporting pets in cars. The APPA reports: "Almost a quarter of owners reported they took their dog with them in the car when they traveled for at least two nights." Since there are 46.3 million dog owning households, that means over 11 million car owners care about taking their dogs with them on extended trips in their cars. Including cats adds close to a million more.

Looking at one form of shorter, local trips, approximately 1.4 million dog owners are taking their pet to work an average of 22 times per year.

So it's a BIG MARKET of people who care deeply about their pets.

And it shouldn't be very hard to do a lot better at providing safety features for pets in your vehicles. Given your history in the airline industry, Mr. Mulally, you may know, or probably know some folks you could call to learn, how planes are fitted to secure and safely transport the approved pet crates and carriers.

You could also work with existing suppliers, like Kurgo, with their award-winning lines of harnesses and other products designed for traveling with pets in cars. You showed us how Ford has re-imagined cars and trucks as also being mobile communication devices and partnered with companies like Pandora, Microsoft, and Nuance, to make those features accessible and affordable. A company like Kurgo could, similarly, help you view cars and trucks as also being pet transport devices.

Because they are.

Comments

[Maida Genser]

Citizens FOR Pets in Condos, http://www.petsincondos.org, is very interested in having Ford acknowledge the place of dogs as part of the American family.

America is a very pet-friendly place, with the possible exception of condos in south Florida and a few other places. Ford needs to come on board, as Subaru has already done. Pet-oriented ads will draw a lot of people, most people when you see the statistics on pet ownership. 63% of US households have at least one companion animal. Dog owners frequently travel with their dogs.

(reference http://www.blogpaws.com/2011/06/memo-to-mr-mulally-opportunity-is-scratching-at-fords-door-part-3.html)

[Edie]

Great series, Tom. Do let us know if you get an answer from Ford. I would think that, since you were among the invitees and this was just a respectful series, you'll be listened to very seriously.

[karen]

I drive a Subaru. Subaru gets the concept that the family dog rides along. Ford's latest models, such as the Edge and Flex, are competing in exactly the same space as the Forester and Outback. They should keep an eye on what their competition is doing!

[twitter.com/Tom_Collins]

Thanks for the input Maida, Edie, and Karen.

Edie, I've had some interactions from @ScottMonty and some of the attendees at #FordTrends via Facebook and Twitter, all indicating thoughtful awareness. As you say, it'll be interesting to see where it leads.

Maida and Karen, you both mention Subaru and I'm curious what actual pet safety features you're thinking of?

In the BarkBuckleUP ratings for 2010, only one Subaru model, the Outback, made the list. My understanding is that - in the absence of real safety features - criteria like how easy it is for dogs to get in and out are often treated as important.

What I'm hoping to spark is a discussion and then serious actions to make both pets and the people they're riding with safer. From what I saw at Ford, the folks there are very much tuned in to safety issues and have some great resources available to bring real pet safety to their vehicles.

Tom

[Yvonne DiVita]

Do others agree that this issue goes beyond 'safety' - yes, that's of prime importance - safety for all (pets included) but it also goes to the heart of products produced in America. It's time that major brands outside of the pet industry stand up and recognize that pets really are family members. For some folks, their pets are their 'kids'. We need to keep helping our brands understand this - it's not their Grandfather's business environment, anymore. Pets need to be included in all thinking, for all products - oh, I feel a blog post coming on!