Pet care start-ups are not a new thing. As people spend more money on pet-related products, the pet market has been growing strong. According to a 2018 report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rise, the global pet care market is expected to reach $202.6 billion by 2025. MollyBox, a Shanghai-based pet care start-up that focuses on cat products, secured a total of $13 million in its Series B financing round in 2019, making it one of the most promising pet care brands around the world. How did MollyBox attract such substantial investment? What is the recipe that leads to its success? With our 4 Facets of Brand Positioning tool, let’s find out the secret of the formula.

MollyBox (Source: Google)

Truth: More Than a Subscription Box

One of the key factors contributing to MollyBox’s brand positioning and success is the one-of-a-kind experience it creates. MollyBox has developed a unique business model in China’s pet food sector, emphasizing brand positioning. They’ve introduced a subscription-based service that can be customized by cat owners, providing flexible services for daily supplies, including cat food, snacks, toys, and cat litters. Recognizing that cats are sensitive to their environment, MollyBox carefully selects the products in the box based on season and temperature, offering a hassle-free experience for cat owners.

In addition to their commitment to brand positioning, MollyBox places significant efforts into building a strong brand presence. They exhibit a remarkable sense of fashion and innovation by collaborating with artists to design the packaging of the boxes and working on collaborations with various forms of media, such as comics, movies, and popular mobile games like Onmyoji. This approach not only enhances their brand positioning but also results in diverse, attractive designs that resonate with the younger generation. By delivering a unique customer experience and cultivating an outstanding brand image through brand positioning, MollyBox has successfully achieved a high customer retention rate with low acquisition costs, solidifying its position as one of the most promising pet care brands in China.

MollyBox (Source: Google)

Vision: Hassle-free Pet-keeping Life with Much Happier and Healthier Cats

MollyBox’s brand positioning is rooted in its vision, which is to improve the quality of life for cats and simplify the experience of cat ownership. MollyBox’s Founder and CEO, Yi Ju, has emphasized that the pet industry traditionally focused on creating products for pets but often overlooked the importance of keeping pets well.

MollyBox, through its subscription model and brand positioning, not only helps cat owners choose the right products for their feline companions but also provides valuable professional tips on cat care. By doing so, MollyBox brand positioning saves its users significant time and energy that would otherwise be spent on searching for and deciding on what products to purchase or use for their cats. Here’s how it works: The products in the box are carefully selected for each customer based on a survey about their cat. MollyBox then curates suitable products for each cat and delivers the box on a regular basis or as a one-time delivery, depending on the specific service subscription, aligning perfectly with the brand positioning to offer hassle-free and high-quality cat care solutions.

MollyBox (Source: Google)

Universe: Effortless Cat-raising Life Led by Science and Big Data

Modern cat owners often end up having not enough time to do extensive research to select the most suitable food, toys or supplement for their cats, With the help of big data, coupled with the analysis of the current pet industry, MollyBox has selected the product ecology with personalized quality and consumption. After the MollyBox team conducted surveys and portraits of a large number of cat keepers’ living habits, cat-raising habits, the brand offers users a monthly delivery of what they need. The brand saves users’ time and energy in search, selection, payment and other processes. Customers can enjoy great convenience and no need to worry about forgetting to buy cat food due to heavy work.

MollyBox (Source: Google)

Personality: A Thoughtful cat keeper

The products that come in each subscription box are not randomly selected. Each box has more than 3000 SKUs to choose from, and the product quality and formula contained in each box are strictly controlled. Every box contains staple food selected by the user and seasonal toys and daily necessities selected by the veterinarian. Considering the cat’s need, the box is equipped with a scratcher which is a must for each cat owner. Each box can be used as a container for pet supplies, and users can choose their favorite box to create unique pet toys or supplies. These unique and sustainable innovations not only enrich the product ecology of MollyBox, but also better meet consumers’ individualized pet needs.

Apart from offering thoughtful services for cats, MollyBox also shows its love of cats in other ways. The brand updates its pet-related content called “一犬一话”, sharing knowledge on pet-related products and pet-feeding tips, offer educational content to customers to take better care of their furry friends. The brand also donates to two pet saving NGOs, to save lives of stray cats and dogs, being a true thoughtful cat keeper.

MollyBox (Source: Google)

Among the fierce competition in the pet industry, MollyBox stands out with its unique understanding of the market, and very deep understanding of the pain points of cat owners. While the success of MollyBox is highly connected to China’s rising pet market, the brand has developed its user experience and products, and seen promising growth. With a strong commitment to producing high-quality products and an acute awareness of customer needs, MollyBox is devoted to enhancing the quality of life, not only for its customers but also for their beloved feline companions. This commitment is at the heart of MollyBox’s brand positioning, which revolves around delivering top-tier pet care solutions and exceptional experiences for pet owners.

TEAM

• Corporate Branding Team,
• Labbrand, Shanghai