The other morning my cat came and sat on me and started to purr. I started to think about the whole cat-owner relationship as if it were a business-customer relationship. In marketing terms why am I such a satisfied customer of the cat?

1. The cat delivers a unique service – it shows clear differentiation: it purrs – it doesn’t bark; it lounges – it doesn’t require walks.

2. The cat manages expectations – I get affection for providing food, accommodation, entertainment and free health cover!

3. It is consistent – I get the same product/service every day – a few purrs and a bit of affection.

4. The cat has clear communications – it purrs when it is happy and meows when it wants something – easy to understand.

5. It constantly reminds me that it’s there – persistent advertising ensures it gets fed and therefore survives.

6. But best of all if it makes a mess it covers it up (that’s not marketing, thats PR!).