It took a while to wrap up its agency review, but Gay Lea Foods Co-operative has named Toronto’s Agency59 as its new agency of record.
The butter and dairy product brand launched its review with a “request for engagement” to agencies in July–a list of 10 brand-related questions that dealt with prospective agencies’ consumer, market and brand insights. That resulted in a short list of four shops with Agency59 getting the nod in January.
“We wanted to make sure our agency’s values and size were reflective of Gay Lea’s values and where we saw ourselves in the marketplace,” said Carol Johnston, Gay Lea’s director of marketing.
While some Gay Lea brands are available nationally, its presence and product line is strongest in Ontario, which is where Agency59 will be focused for now. In the near term it will focus on Nordica cottage cheese, for which Gay Lea has an approximate 60% share of the Ontario market, although Johnston said communication around Nordica has not been “consistent” for the past five years.
Johnston hopes to have a campaign for Nordica in place by the Spring.
Another of Gay Lea’s flagship products, Spreadables, will likely not get an advertising overhaul. Much of the work created by former agency of record John St.–which includes the Stop Toast Brutality work–is still in-market. “The campaign probably needs a refresh; it’s been the same message for three years, but it’s been very successful for us.”
John St. declined the invitation to take part in the review.
The agency review did not involve the PR or media accounts, currently managed by Harbinger and Bang Media, respectively.
