According to PETWORLD financials, the year 2012 had seen a dip in sales, fewer people coming into its stores, and comparable store sales that were weaker than expected. Competition in the pet-care market was increasingly fierce with a variety of players, big and small, fighting for market share. The industry itself had changed rapidly in just a few years, and its continued growth and financial success required constant innovation and creativity. PETWORLD needed to identify ways in which it could create a unique and entertaining way to leverage the in-store experience to generate both store and online sales.