Admittedly, catbox litter is not the most glamorous product sold through supermarkets and pet-specialty stores, but the numbers are awesome–try $760 million-plus in annual sales. Little wonder that product innovation is critical in what remains a growth category.
One of the newest developments finds Chicago-based Oil-Dri Corp. of America extending its Cat’s Pride brand with these new items: Cat’s Pride Dust Stopper, which has been in distribution about a month or so, and Cat’s Pride Scoop ‘N Flush, a product now being shipped to retailers.
Both these new items are made from recycled paper, which Oil-Dri touts as a plus. Cat litter is typically made from clay–hence the dust fallout that can occur when catboxes are refilled.
There are some regional cat litters that are paper-based, but major competitors in the category don’t have such a product currently.
“We think these new products can be incremental business for us,” says Donn Monroe, brand manager, consumer products group, for Oil-Dri.
Supermarkets may carry as many as six or eight different cat litters, evidence that the market is fragmented, with household loyalty often up for grabs. In the U.S., three out of 10 households have a cat. There are said to be more than 63 million household cats, compared with 47 million 15 years ago. Latest data from Information Resources Inc. show that Oil-Dri’s Cat’s Pride ranks about No. 5, with nearly $60 million in annual sales and an 8 percent market share. But Oil-Dri also does extensive private-label, and produces litter for Clorox’s Fresh Step, a leading brand, with 16 percent share.
Ralston-Purina’s duo of Golden Cat and Tidy Cats leads the category with 27 percent share, followed by First Brands’ Johnny Cat and Scoop Away, 17 percent.
In the early 1980s, Oil-Dri introduced Cat’s Pride Scented, which had a baby powder fragrance. That product has been since reformulated and is now sold as Cat’s Pride Premium.
The Chicago company’s sales opportunities would appear to be much more substantial with the two new Cat’s Pride line extensions than a scented litter that wasn’t the cat’s meow.
Lottery’s PR picks: Illinois Lottery named Hill & Knowlton Chicago for general-market public relations, a $250,000 annual fee income account, while also tapping Kemper Lesnik for a strategic assignment that’s primarily focused on developing new players, “the 20- to 34-year-old crowd,” says Lori Montana, director. Hill & Knowlton succeeds Edelman Public Relations Worldwide Chicago, which recently had the general-market PR account. Margie Korshak Inc. in the past has worked on special events, including the recent “millionaires” reunion for the Lottery, and Montana anticipates this PR agency to be in line for similar work in the future. Korshak also once did general market PR for the Lottery. This time around, competition for general-market PR also included Ketchum PR, Wheatley Blair, Korshak and Manning, Selvage & Lee as finalists. In the face of other gaming competition, lottery ticket sales overlal have been relatively flat in recent years, peaking at $1.63 billion in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997. The lottery’s total marketing-advertising-promotions-PR budget is around $30 million, $22 million of that in media advertising, Montana said. Ticket sales for instant games also have leveled off.
Westin post for O’Brien: Pat O’Brien was named area managing director of Westin Hotels & Resorts, based at the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago while also overseeing the Westin River North and Westin O’Hare. O’Brien, who’s worked for other Westin hotels elsewhere, has an extensive background in the hospitality field. He was once VP-catering for United Airlines. Other personnel: Mark Pfeifer to a group account director on client Procter & Gamble at Euro RSCG Tatham . . . Theresa Ferguson to an account supervisor at Dome Newmark Wolf Communications.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Amy K. Morrison, 28; Renee Edelman, 43; Stephanie Banta, 41; Rick Fizdale, 59; and Lou Frangella, 48.
– Kohler Co.’s Sterling Plumbing Group in Rolling Meadows appointed Bender, Browning, Dolby & Sanderson Chicago for marketing communications, including advertising, succeeding W.B. Doner & Co., whose Southfield, Mich., and Cleveland offices had worked on the account. Sterling’s budget is around $3 million annually, one-third of that in media advertising.
