• by Tanya Gazdik , April 11, 2024

Wellness Pet has selected Colle McVoy as its AOR after a review that included six agencies.

The widely cast RFI went out in November 2023 and concluded in mid-February. The pitch process, including two meeting rounds and a final presentation, was managed by independent consultant Barbara Reilly. Spending was not disclosed. 

The first campaign under the new partnership is expected to launch later this year. 

“The level of relationship—true connection to the emotions pet parents of today have for their pets—hasn’t been fully unlocked in category marketing that’s historically relied on function,” said Wellness Pet Company CEO Reed Howlett in a statement. “With Colle McVoy, we’re eager to speak to the mutual wellbeing between pets and their pet parents.”

Wellness Pet is an independent natural pet food company in North America and includes the following pet food and treat brands: Wellness, Wellness WHIMZEES, Wellness Old Mother Hubbard, Wellness Good Dog, Wellness Good Kitty, Sojos, Holistic Select and Eagle Pack.

Howlett noted Colle McVoy’s size and position within the Stagwell network was advantageous.

“We were looking for a full-service agency right-sized to operate with the speed to meet today’s needs that can also grow with us,” says Howlett. “And, the quality of the people at Colle McVoy—the character, intellectual curiosity and style we saw across multiple disciplines—made us feel we were with people who got it, who got us. People we could work really well with for the long haul.”

Colle McVoy will apply its expertise in CPG, animal care and retail to cover creative, brand strategy and design duties for Wellness Pet that also have social and earned creative components as part of the remit.

During the review, the brand shared examples of work they admire across various industries, says Ciro Sarmiento, Colle McVoy chief creative officer. 

“Wellness Pet has an appetite for disruptive creative. That was clear from the very first meeting,” Sarmiento says in a release. “They are very aware of how cluttered the category is with sunny slow-motion scenes that don’t reflect the bond between pets and pet parents.”