Dual Branding by Vestaplas

Introducing Hestevard Dual Branding. 

Over the years we’ve encouraged many vets to create their own brands and it has worked incredibly well for so many – the offering was simple, high-quality veterinary supplements in your own brand.  

In 2021 we saw a dramatic shift in the market. Hestevard undertook a huge re-brand, launched end-user palatability sample packs and dramatically increased horse owner awareness of Hestevard products – the Hestevard brand now has value in the marketplace and is incredibly easy for you to position. In fact, your clients are asking you for information – that’s why more and more Vet practices are moving to our Dual Branded Product as a Win-Win for not only your margins, but also your brand awareness. 

Why Move To Dual Branding 

How could dual branding benefit you & your practice? Read on to discover the advantages and limitations to enable you to decide whether dual branding is something that could benefit your veterinary practice.  

The Purpose Of Dual Branding 

• Dual Branding combines the power of your brand with the power of the Hestevard brand, creating synergy – each product will be packaged as Hestevard, with the addition of a Practice Branded Hestevard Label.
• Dual Branding encourages horse owners to come to your practice for veterinary grade supplements rather than alternative sales avenues, such as online pharmacies or tack shops where quality of ingredients & consistency of the product nutrients cannot always be guaranteed.
• Loyalty initiatives and an aspirational brand to keep clients using products consistently on your recommendation, some on a long-term basis (where applicable), giving greater health benefits to the horses and loyalty to your practice.  Vets have told us that by using veterinary grade nutraceuticals they have more contact with their clients through collecting/posting/dropping off the products, and by staying close to them they ensure prevention of other conditions.
• To give extra brand & marketing support to the practice rather than relying entirely on your practice vets to sell/recommend. Clients will make informed decisions about the products whilst you can be providing them with products backed by science.

Costs of Dual Branding 

There are no-cost differences between the 3 brand options: Own Branding, Dual Branding or Hestevard branded.  

With Dual Branded or purely Hestevard branded products, unlike practice brand, there are no minimum order quantities. This saves you money as you only order the products you need rather than bulk ordering practice brand levels. 

Benefits of Dual Branding 

There are many benefits for your practice when you choose to dual brand Hestevard products. As we talk to various practices, the following are the key reasons why many are making the shift –much of whom have successfully followed the practice brand method for years:  

• Your clients get products that are approved, trusted & recommended by vets, as well as the distinguished Hestevard brand that is trusted by hundreds of equestrians internationally. 
• Hestevard is rapidly gaining traction and followers. With products such as BozMerix increasingly being adopted as one of the leading veterinary joint support supplements, many horse owners are seeking out the Hestevard brand. Through online conversations, horse owners are becoming increasingly aware of the products, and by using a brand they recognise they are more likely to have confidence in the product, where appropriate repeat purchase and recommend use.
• Hestevard is an incredibly strong, aspirational brand with a powerful marketing strategy behind it. This increases client demand for Hestevard products and means you will benefit from the marketing campaigns.
• You can have full access to the new Hestevard literature - such as the new brochure on “The 2-stage approach to equine joint care”. These are clearly understood by horse owners and vets alike and focus on the science behind the products as well as indicating their use.
•  We offer door to door direct delivery service saving your team having to post products. This not only saves you time, but also postage too (Door2Door delivery is currently £4.16 on items under £50 and free on items over £50).This gives you more flexibility with your clients.
• You’ll be ahead of the general market by recommending sustainably packaged products.  Some of the new environmentally advantageous packaging (such as sachets and level 4 recyclable pouches) cannot be own branded due to the materials and the volume in which they need to be ordered at point of production. Dual Branding allows you still to have your practice brand on these products.
• The new Hestevard loyalty scheme, where horse owners collect 6 loyalty vouchers in order to get one product free, is being rolled out through Hestevard & Dual Branded products.  This saves your horse owners money and builds brand loyalty, rather than encouraging them to shop around online for a cheaper (& lower quality) alternative.
• Hestevard end user marketing will mean you will expect to see clients coming to you requesting Hestevard products.
• It removes the potential stigma around pushing your own practice brand.  Although the products are incredibly powerful and make a difference to horses, often we find vets don’t always feel comfortable recommending their ‘own brand’ products. Dual Branding removes that barrier, allowing horse owners access to the highest quality products and your vets feel more comfortable promoting their use.
• There is no minimum order quantity on any item in Dual Branded Products.
• You immediately access our free sample program.  Increasingly Hestevard is producing small samples for horse owners to receive – this is not possible with a practice own brand, but with Dual Branding it allows your clients to try before they buy. We will always notify you when your clients register with us too.
• Hestevard Dual Branded products include all the ‘No Quibble’ Hestevard Guarantees, including replacing damaged packaging and out of date stocks.

Is Dual Branding Really Right for Our Practice? 

We fully recognise that some practices will want to keep to selling their own brand and we are very happy with that.   

For some practices, it is very important to keep their own brand identity, especially if the end-user believes they have been making them in-house or they have been pushing them quite hard and selling well. We fully support you in this decision, however many practices are now seeing the benefits of Dual Branding and the additional free marketing support is rapidly working in their favour. 

The Future 

Hestevard is rapidly becoming an ‘aspirational’ brand. This is resulting from ‘high performance’ marketing, and we consistently reinforce the message that we are a ‘vet only’ brand. In conjunction with this, Hestevard is rolling out a range of high-quality branded merchandise, which clients are enjoying using. 

Furthermore, Hestevard products are staying at the forefront of product development, as we all know that what is most critical is products that make a difference to the horse. New products will continue to be introduced and the range will continue to grow. 

In addition, Hestevard will increasingly be exhibiting at equine events and will be launching online and print media-based advertising to help drive awareness and increase consumer demand. 

How To Switch To Dual Branding  

Switching to Dual Branding is simple and can be arranged very quickly.  

To discover the power of dual branding within the UK, Ireland or France, contact your account manager in the first instance, or email sales@vestaplas.com.