We got up close and personal with advertising companies across our publications, and we want you to know them too! Discover their favorite and most popular products, and find out what they had to say to our questions.
W.F. Young provides innovative health care products for horses and other animal companions from brands Absorbine® Equine and Absorbine® Pet. Here is what Marketing Communications/ Advertising Manager Molly O’Brien had to say about Absorbine®.
Question: What was the original inspiration for your company?
Molly O’Brien: At Absorbine®, we are devoted to horse care and horse owners, and this serves as our original and constant inspiration. We know that the time you spend with your horses — whether in the barn or in the saddle — is truly rewarding. So we’ve developed a line of horse care products that helps ensure that your horses look, feel, and perform their best, whether on the trail, in the ring, or just hanging out in the barn — anywhere you share those special moments
Question: How did you get started?
Molly O’Brien: Our story begins with a deep love of horses. In fact, very few people have understood and appreciated the importance of horses like Absorbine® founder Wilbur Fenelon Young and his wife, Mary Ida. They knew that without the horse, America would be a very different place. So in 1892, Wilbur and Mary Ida decided to dedicate themselves to helping keep horses as healthy as possible. Working together, they developed a natural formula of herbs and essential oils that became Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment.
More than 120 years later, our line of products has grown considerably. But we haven’t forgotten our roots, which is why we remain committed to offering horse care products of only the highest quality.
Absorbine® has come a long way, but Wilbur and Mary Ida’s spirits will always be a part of our bloodline.
Question:What is your main target group of customers?
Molly O’Brien: Our customers love their animals and want them to look and feel their best. Our equine products offer grooming, muscle and joint, fly control, and hoof care solutions for the beginner just learning how to groom, all the way up to the seasoned professional looking to gain a competitive edge. Our pet products bring the trusted Absorbine® name to dog owners who want quality grooming and flea, tick and fly control solutions. Anyone who looks to improve and maintain the wellness of their animals falls within Absorbine®’s target group of customers.
Question:How do you want customers to benefit from your products?
Molly O’Brien: Our innovative, high-quality products consistently deliver the results horse owners want and need. We want our line of products to help ensure that our customers’ horses look, feel, and perform their best, whether on the trail, in the ring, or just hanging out in the barn.
Question: How does being family owned and operated make your company better?
Molly O’Brien: We have been a family owned and operated company for five generations, with a passion for providing high-quality over-the-counter medications as well as a full portfolio of horse and pet care products. Every day that passion drives us to develop further advances in the way our products are formulated and delivered—while always maintaining the highest levels of integrity. This is all part of fulfilling our mission of helping improve the lives of people and the animals they love.
Question: What do you think makes a company different by being family owned and operated?
Molly O’Brien: As a family business, we deeply care about the quality and effectiveness of our products. They are an integral part of our family history, and we use them on our own animals! The passion we bring to the industry is a direct result of our rich heritage, and we are proud to offer our products to your family.
Question: What is the main “mission” of your company?
Molly O’Brien: W. F. Young is proud to offer a family of innovative products that help improve and maintain the health of horses and your other animal companions.
Question: How has your company impacted the industry?
Molly O’Brien: W.F. Young /Absorbine® has been a true pioneer in the equine muscle and joint care category, starting with the invention of Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment in 1892. Since then, innovation has been at the heart of everything we do, and we have expanded our family of products to address a variety of health and wellness needs. As a result, we have brought unsurpassed quality, integrity, and passion to the animal health care industry.
Question: What is one unique thing about your company?
Molly O’Brien: Our enduring heritage is what sets us apart from other companies. After 123 years, we’re still a family owned, American company.
Question: What makes your company loved by customers?
Molly O’Brien: We have an intense focus on meeting the needs of our customers, and the time we take to connect with our customers and improve their experience sets us apart. Providing quality products that improve the lives of our customers is just the first step; we are always ready to answer any product questions, provide insight on several aspects of horse care, and all of our products are always 100% guaranteed.
Question: What is your best selling product?
Molly O’Brien: Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment Gel is a warm soothing treatment for temporary muscular soreness caused by overexertion, minor injuries, or arthritis pain. This spearmint-scented gel contains natural botanical extracts including menthol that help reduce swelling and speed natural recovery.
Question: What is your favorite product?
Molly O’Brien: We can never get enough
ShowSheen®! As the world’s #1 selling hair polish and detangler, ShowSheen® is uniquely formulated to provide any horse owner with an unsurpassed multipurpose grooming aid. It coats each hair shaft to keep manes and tails tangle-free while its conditioning action reduces static fly-aways. It also repels dust, dirt, and stains, protecting your grooming job and keeping your horse cleaner longer.
Question: What would you like customers to know about your company that they might not already know?
Molly O’Brien: We have recently extended our expertise in grooming and fly control to the pet industry. Absorbine® Pet Care includes ShowSheen® grooming products for dogs and UltraShield® flea, tick, and fly control products for dogs. This line also includes the new Woof PoufTM line, the one-handed “wash & go” bath tools that clean, condition, deorderize, and repel ticks and fleas.
Question: What do you take into consideration when developing new products?
Molly O’Brien: We put a lot into the development of all of our new products, starting with intensive research. Based on that insight, we create formulas with the finest quality ingredients to maximize effectiveness, combined with the latest packaging technology for best user experience. We take pride in offering innovative products that improve the lives of people and the animals they love.
Question: In what ways do you see your company growing in the future?
Molly O’Brien: W.F. Young has a constant eye towards innovation, and a mission of always helping to improve and maintain the health of horses and companion animals. We are looking forward to continuing to grow the Absorbine® Pet Care business with exciting new products, as well as maintaining and further developing our trusted equine brands.
