Future Generali India Insurance Launches ‘FG Dog Health Cover’  Insurance and Unveils an Innovative ‘Dog Health Insurance Campaign’  to Raise Awareness Amongst ‘Dog Parents’

– Introduces industry-first ‘Pet Minding’ add-on if parent/s hospitalized  

  • Policy costs start at INR 323/- per month; includes terminal illness, surgery and hospitalization, and mortality
  • Pet Minding Rider covers Daily allowance towards engaging a pet minder/caretaker in case of hospitalization of parent/s or other family members

‘Oh My Dog!’, Digital Campaign brings out the quirky side of our furry friends 

Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGII) announced the launch of FG Dog Health Cover, a comprehensive health insurance for pet dogs, along with industry-first ‘Emergency Pet Minding’ cover. This comprehensive cover will protect pet parents against the cost of their dogs’ surgery and hospitalisation, terminal illness, mortality, and funeral expenses. With add-on covers, pet parents will, also, be able to insure their dogs against third-party liability, theft or loss, emergency pet minding, veterinary consultation, and doctor on call. 

The insurance policy covers pet dogs aged between six months to four years for giant breeds and seven years for small, medium, and large breeds. The exit age is ten years for small, medium, and large breeds and six years for giant breeds.

Ruchika Malhan Varma, Chief Marketing Officer, Future Generali India Insurance says (FGII) said “As a brand that is a lifetime partner for our customers, we are constantly engaged in providing solutions to suit their evolving lifestyle needs. For a dog parent and increasing number of households, a dog is much more than a pet today, and is, in fact an integral part of the family. So, while we go all out to protect our loved ones by purchasing comprehensive health insurance solutions, our customers indeed must feel the same for their pet dogs. 

She further adds, “Dogs have a tendency to land themselves into unexpected situations that may warrant a huge dent into one’s savings to cover costs for hospitalisation, surgeries and other terminal illness. Our FG Dog Health Cover is designed to cover all this and more towards ensuring that our pet parents can focus on getting the best healthcare for their pet dogs without leaving a dent in their pocket”.   

Dogs can often go barking up the wrong tree or hurt themselves frolicking in the mess. Which is why they need to be protected just like one would protect their families against uncertainties. This 360-degree digital campaign, conceptualized by Mullen Lintas, strikes the chord with dog parents by bringing out a ‘slice of life’, quirky, yet relatable moments that they might have witnessed as a dog parent. 

And to really drive home the point, FGII is kicking up a storm on both Twitter and Instagram. For its Twitter campaign it has roped in celebrities who are known for their affection towards their furry friends and thus aligned with the idea of purchasing dog health insurance cover to protect their much-loved pets. A series of mischievous tweets create intrigue while truly encompassing the relationship that pet parents have with their dogs. On Instagram, FGII is engaging followers with a filter-based idea to capture the funny thoughts of their dogs in a thought bubble. The idea is that you can let your dogs do mischief as long as they are secured with the right health insurance cover. 

With FG Dog Health Cover, pet parents will be able to choose their veterinarian, budget their pet care costs, and avoid the dip into emergency funds. Availing this cover comes with easy documentation.

3. Feedback

The open rate for WhatsApp messages is somewhere close to 70 per cent. So instead of calling customers for feedback, the pet business can create questions for them, which they can answer in their free time. (Google Forms is the best option to it – will write at length about it some other time). This is marketing research at its best, and it is unquestionably free. With the feedback from customers, the pet business can respond to their requests and improve its products and services. The customer inputs received can be of great value, which can be rewarded with special offers and coupons to encourage future engagement, brand loyalty, and long term customer retention.

4. Personal Touch

As WhatsApp communication continues to grow, the pet business can personalize interaction with its customers using one-on-one communication. This is especially important for pet businesses because they now can have a direct relationship, where customers can message them if they need a particular product, have an enquiry or need support. Wishing their pet on their birthday with a specially created graphic is an example of personalized communication. WhatsApp can be accessed on a smartphone, tablet or PC, so the pet business will be able to talk to its customers anytime if they choose to make themselves available.

5. Creating and Targeting Groups

Pet Business is a business that specializes in a particular trade or hobby, and by creating or targeting groups on WhatsApp, specifically of its customers or even other pet parents that are interested in related topics, the pet business can increase its customer base. If the pet business creates video content and provides live support, there is quite a possibility that the members will share it with contacts that are outside of the group. This in turn leads to more users consuming the content, joining the group, and eventually, even becoming customers.

6. Promotional Codes, Flash Sales

With the new Status feature, the pet business can create special promotional codes for customers to redeem. Using its WhatsApp Status, it can let everyone in the group know about the promotions it is offering. This could include a two-hour flash sale or a one-day special drive in traffic and create buzz. Based on interaction levels, this can be expanded and promoted with WhatsApp Status exclusive coupons or promotions.

7. Special Access

The instant interaction capability of Status means the pet business can provide special access to events it is holding and send a live feed. If the pet business has a special person or a celebrity who has visited and made a purchase, this can be immediately shared as news with audience. And such updates actually receive good engagement. Just imagine Alia Bhatt being on the pet business status as a customer for her cats!

8. Product Demonstration

Whether the pet business makes its products or just sells them as a retailer, it can demo them on Status and let the group know when any new item is available in its inventory. Very small videos such as making of a cat litter or new treats available for pets with some unique quality are apt examples. Even if the customer doesn’t need these particular products today – knowing they are available, what they can do, and how to use them – he will definitely keep the products and the pet business on top of his mind whenever he needs them in future.

9. Giveaways

The pet business can have weekly, monthly, or even daily giveaways to bring footfalls to its store or visitors to its website. Since WhatsApp is free, the only cost of such promotions is for promotional products or services such dog treats, small cat toys, or fish food etc., which are to be given away. This considerably lowers marketing overheads of any pet business.

10. Collaboration/Partnership with Influencers

By collaborating with nearby businesses and partnering with influencers from pet industry, the pet business increases the number of groups to which it belongs. They need not to be in the same industry. But with Status, the pet business can become part of all these conversations. Even if members of other groups aren’t interested in its products or services, there is a chance that they might mention you in conversations on WhatsApp or other social media platforms.

WhatsApp, as a communication tool, continues to evolve and add more features in future. It is a resourceful platform that enables you to send files, images, and short video clips about your products and services. But the key to using WhatsApp effectively is to avoid abusing relationship you have built with your audience. Measurement of interaction is absolutely necessary to make sure that each message you send has value. The key is to not make every message a sales message.

WhatsApp is turning to be more valuable than ever for businesses. Using it to provide valuable engagement with audience, for learning more about customers’ needs, and as a way of spreading word about your brand are actually the optimum ways to get benefit from it. 

*Author is the only Marketing Consultant in India who helps Pet Businesses to reach out to more and more people for business growth. He also runs Petopedia, the World’s First WhatsApp Daily Pet Magazine for sharing pet related information to Pet Parents. He can be reached out on 9820270247 or samgudhate@gmail.com.

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