AdExchanger Talks: "Insight Is A Man’s Best Friend" with J.P. Jansen of Mars Pet Nutrition

Release Date: December 3, 2024

Introduction

In this engaging episode of AdExchanger Talks, host Alison Schiff converses with J.P. Jansen, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer for North America at Mars Pet Nutrition. The discussion delves into the intricacies of managing a vast portfolio of pet brands, the evolving landscape of marketing technologies, and the strategic utilization of data to foster growth in the pet industry. Midway through the episode, Stephanie Paterik, GM of Editorial and Editor-in-Chief at The Trade Desk, joins to provide additional insights into the broader ad tech environment.

Guest Background and Personal Insights

[02:13] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. shares his multicultural background, highlighting his Dutch and half-Indonesian heritage, which fuels his appreciation for Asian cuisines and cultures. He fluently speaks English, Dutch, French, and German, adding a personal touch to the conversation with anecdotes about communicating with his dog, Coco.

Managing a Diverse Brand Portfolio

Alison Schiff initiates the discussion by exploring the challenges and opportunities of overseeing a broad spectrum of pet brands under the Mars Pet Nutrition umbrella, including Temptations, Sheba, Whiskas, Pedigree, Iams, and Greenies.

[05:38] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. emphasizes that having a complementary portfolio allows Mars Pet Nutrition to cater to various market segments, whether by price point or food philosophy. This diversity ensures broad market coverage but necessitates clear prioritization and strategic funding to support top-performing brands and opportunities.

Evolution of Marketing Strategies

Reflecting on his career journey from Procter & Gamble to Coty Beauty Care Company and finally to Mars Pet Nutrition, J.P. Jansen discusses the transformation of marketing practices over the past decades.

[08:46] J.P. Jansen:
He reminisces about the early days of direct mail programs at P&G, emphasizing how marketing has shifted from traditional methods to digital platforms. J.P. acknowledges that while some old-school techniques like high-quality direct mail still hold value, the majority of CRM and marketing efforts have transitioned online, leveraging digital tools and social media.

Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and Attribution

The conversation pivots to the significance of Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) in today's advertising ecosystem.

[11:58] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. advocates for a hybrid approach to measurement, asserting that MMM provides a holistic view of marketing impact and ROI drivers. He underscores the necessity of combining MMM with real-time optimization tools to balance comprehensive performance analysis with agile decision-making, especially for high-stakes events like Cyber Weekend.

Leveraging First-Party Data

A pivotal segment focuses on the strategies Mars Pet Nutrition employs to collect and utilize first-party data about pet parents.

[15:22] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. highlights the importance of quality over quantity in first-party data. Through platforms like the Greenies website, Mars Pet Nutrition gathers actionable insights—such as identifying pet life cycles and specific needs like dental care—that inform tailored marketing strategies and enhance customer relationship management (CRM).

Addressing Sensitive Customer Data

Alison Schiff poses a delicate question regarding how Mars Pet Nutrition handles data when a pet passes away, ensuring respectful and relevant marketing.

[18:37] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. explains that Mars has robust protocols to immediately cease marketing efforts when notified of a pet's passing. The company prioritizes maintaining a compassionate relationship with customers, ensuring that communications remain appropriate and sensitive to their circumstances.

Audience Insights and Community Engagement

Exploring deeper audience insights, J.P. shares how Mars Pet Nutrition taps into specific communities to enhance brand connection.

[23:06] J.P. Jansen:
An intriguing finding revealed that 50% of gamers in the U.S. own cats. Leveraging this insight, Mars Pet Nutrition's Temptations brand engaged with the gaming community through live streams and in-game activations like "Cat Cafe Minecraft," effectively connecting with a younger, engaged audience without direct competition for attention.

Balancing Reach and Targeting in Growth Strategies

Alison Schiff introduces the concept of the "laws of growth," emphasizing the need to balance broad reach with targeted marketing.

[31:02] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. discusses the cyclical nature of marketing strategies—from mass reach to personalized targeting—and the importance of rediscovering the value of reach while prioritizing high-value audiences. By utilizing partnerships with platforms like Google’s DV360, Mars Pet Nutrition achieves unduplicated reach across streaming TV and online video, balancing wide exposure with strategic audience targeting.

Embracing Retail Media Networks (RMNs)

The role of Retail Media Networks (RMNs) in the pet nutrition sector is examined, highlighting their growing significance.

[34:02] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. affirms Mars Pet Nutrition's deep investment in RMNs, particularly because pet food sales online account for 30% of total sales in America. By collaborating closely with online retailers, Mars leverages purchase-based targeting to achieve high ROI, enhancing both conversion rates and brand awareness through strategic media investments.

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) vs. E-Commerce Partnerships

The discussion shifts to the strategic considerations between Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) sales and partnering with established e-commerce platforms like Chewy.

[39:55] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. outlines Mars Pet Nutrition's cautious approach to D2C, preferring to differentiate their offerings—such as special Temptations packs and pill pockets—for direct sales. While D2C serves to connect with valuable consumers and gather feedback, Mars primarily relies on e-commerce platforms to maximize reach and streamline purchasing processes.

Media Buying: In-House vs. Agency Partnerships

Alison Schiff probes into Mars Pet Nutrition's approach to media buying and the balance between in-house efforts and agency collaborations.

[41:42] J.P. Jansen:
Media buying at Mars Pet Nutrition is predominantly outsourced to specialized media agencies, ensuring access to top creative talents and cultural insights. However, certain areas like paid search on platforms like Amazon are managed in-house to allow for agile optimizations. On the creative front, large-scale campaigns are handled by top-tier agencies, while content requiring speed and volume leverages in-house resources and AI-driven automation.

Industry Consolidations and Commerce-Focused Acquisitions

The episode addresses recent acquisitions in the ad tech space, such as Omnicom’s acquisition of Flywheel and Publicis’s purchase of Mars United Commerce.

[45:00] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. views these acquisitions as strategic moves to integrate diverse disciplines and enhance coordination across media expressions. The increasing investment in RMNs makes these consolidations logical, enabling holding companies to offer comprehensive solutions that align with evolving client needs.

Ensuring Brand Safety and Transparency

Brand safety emerges as a critical topic, especially in the context of recent lawsuits involving major platforms.

[47:42] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. emphasizes Mars Pet Nutrition’s commitment to brand safety through a robust responsible marketing code established in 2007. The company prioritizes showing their brands in safe, contextually appropriate environments and driving diversity both in front of and behind the camera. Transparency remains a cornerstone of their marketing strategy, ensuring that all advertising efforts uphold the brand's integrity.

Closing Remarks and Personal Touches

The conversation concludes with light-hearted exchanges about pets, reinforcing the deep bond between Mars Pet Nutrition and pet owners.

[50:12] Alison Schiff:
Alison shares a personal anecdote about her cat, Mermaid, highlighting the universal love and attention brands like Mars Pet Nutrition dedicate to pets.

[50:34] J.P. Jansen:
J.P. reflects on the evolving relationship humans have with pets, noting how pets have become integral to family life and how Mars Pet Nutrition is privileged to support this bond through their products and services.

Notable Quotes

• J.P. Jansen [05:38]:
  "The portfolio is really designed to play in the different partitions in the market, whether it's price partitions or food philosophies."

• J.P. Jansen [11:58]:
  "Marketing mix modeling provides a holistic view on the impact of your marketing and helps set your strategy for optimal media mix."

• J.P. Jansen [15:22]:
  "It's more about quality than quantity. High-quality first-party data can be super valuable."

• J.P. Jansen [23:06]:
  "Gamers are disproportionately likely to own a cat, which makes them a fantastic audience for Temptations."

• J.P. Jansen [34:02]:
  "Pet nutrition is one of the highest penetrated online categories, with 30% of all pet food sales in America done online."

• J.P. Jansen [47:42]:
  "Context does matter. We want to make sure that our brands show up in a context where the brand is safe and not harming the brand."

Conclusion

This episode of AdExchanger Talks offers a comprehensive exploration of modern marketing strategies within the pet nutrition industry, highlighting the essential balance between leveraging data-driven insights and maintaining authentic, wide-reaching brand presence. J.P. Jansen provides invaluable perspectives on navigating a complex brand portfolio, embracing retail media networks, and ensuring brand safety, all while fostering meaningful connections with pet parents. The inclusion of insights from Stephanie Paterik further enriches the discussion, situating Mars Pet Nutrition’s strategies within the broader ad tech landscape.

Listeners gain a nuanced understanding of how Mars Pet Nutrition continues to innovate and adapt in a rapidly evolving market, driven by a commitment to enhancing the lives of pets and their owners.