P&G, Universal partner to aid pet owners

A new Web site offers a wealth of information about pet services.

CINCINNATI and NEW YORK — Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc. and NBC Universal Digital Media have launched a Web site for dog and cat owners — Petside.com. The Web site, created in partnership with the ZiZo Group, is a comprehensive source of information and services that helps pets and their owners get the most out of life.

Americans spend more than $40 billion each year on pets, related products and services. Proctoer & Gamble and NBC Universal identified an unmet need for a single, online destination site that provides many resources that pet “parents” can use to care for their pets over their entire life cycle. Petside.com offers customized content and a highly personalized experience for the user with unique features like the Pet Vet and MyPetside pet registry, said Jim Stengel, global marketing officer for Procter & Gamble.

“We know that consumers are increasingly shifting their media time toward digital, so we are focusing on developing innovative business models, like Petside.com, that deliver brand-relevant content and serve people effectively and directly,” he said.

“P&G Productions has a rich history of creating quality content, and we’re delighted to be partnering with them on this exciting new venture. For consumers, the site is an engaging and informative online experience, and for advertisers, we’ve created a robust new digital outlet to reach passionate, pet-loving consumers,” said Beth Comstock, president of NBC Universal Integrated Media.

Petside.com feataures include:

UPet Vet is a resource for pet owners to find answers to questions about their pet’s health, medical and general care. Owners can input their pet’s symptoms into the Pet Vet and get advice and possible diagnoses.

UAt MyPetSide, users can create personalized profiles for their pets by uploading critical data, including contact information and medical records. There is a lost and found feature that helps reconnect pets with their owners, and registered users can receive discounts on products and services specific to the age and type of pet they have. MyPetSide also enables pet owners to connect and communicate with other pet owners via groups and individually.

UPet TV is where visitors can access an extensive video library, which includes how-to videos from veterinarian Dr. Lauren Hurowitz, pet variety shows, and other features.

UThe Tips and Treats section offers day-to-day pet tips and information.

UPet news and information, at both the local and national level, will be aggregated from a variety of third party Web site and sources.

UServices are offered for people to quickly search for pets to adopt, animal hospitals and other pet-related services, at both the local and national level.

UThe site links to well-respected e-commerce vendors such as petco.com, where pet owners can buy pet care items.

In addition to the ASPCA, Petside has partnered with other organizations for relevant content, such as the American Kennel Club, by licensing content from a work published by John Wiley & Sons Publishers, the American Animal Hospital Association and the Cat Fanciers’ Association.