Leaving kibble in the dust with a fresh new brand.

Teaching an old brand new tricks

JustFoodForDogs is one of the first brands to promote fresh food for our furry family members, and it’s been at it for 15+ years. To expand its reach and take things to the next level, its founder recently stepped back to let private equity step in. This brought an infusion of cash, a leadership change, and an opportunity to strengthen every aspect of the brand. Enter Parliament. Now, JFFD is off and running with the big dogs, marking its territory as one of the top names in the booming fresh pet food market.

Running with science-backed freshness

This was our second engagement with L Catterton and Eric Kufel, the L Catterton operating partner who stepped in as JustFoodForDogs’ CEO. Having a returning team let us skip the getting-to-know-each-other phase and jump right into the brand-psychoanalysis phase. After several rounds of great discussions, the group came to the conclusion that the thing that truly sets JustFoodForDogs apart is that it’s guided by more than a decade of actual, legitimate scientific research—as opposed to the other brands that rely on omnipresent marketing and bottomless buckets of money.

Getting the story straight

In a space where the same basic messages are used over and over, we needed to find the best way for JustFoodForDogs to speak its truth. After much soul-searching, the team concluded that JustFoodForDogs exists for one reason: to do right by dogs. From there, the rest of the key messaging fell into place. We wrote an emotional Dogifesto™ that pulled some heartstrings and helped align everyone internally, then we wrote three key messaging statements, or elevator pitches, that distilled who it is and what it’s all about in 3-second, 13-second, and 30-second bite-sized blurbs.

Refresh maxxing

Rebranding comes in several flavors, from tiny touch-ups to major overhauls. This project landed somewhere in the gooey in-between. Due to real-world constraints like the logistically and financially insane prospect of replacing every single package, product line, and poster, all at the same time, we had to figure out how much of the branding we could realistically update. There were lots of moving parts, but we polished things up nicely while providing clear logo standards for anyone using these brand assets going forward.

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Refresh, reframe, or reset: which rebrand do you actually need?

An identity all its own

Adorable dogs. Smiling, hip-looking pet parents. Perfectly lit images of food in a bowl against a pastel gradient background. The playbook for fresh dog food is pretty well established, which is why we were determined to develop a look and feel that is different, modern, and true to the brand. The first hurdle: how to look science-y and premium at the same time?

Balancing top shelf with the bottom line

Dogs can’t see all the colors, but consumers sure as hell can. Following the identity concepts, we moved on to updating JustFoodForDogs’ core brand color system. Everybody agreed that the dark green base that we had incorporated into the initial brand concept really elevated the identity. And at the same time, shifting away from blue would prove very costly in application. So, we shifted toward a navy foundation that elevated the brand while also providing a closer connection to packaging and signage that was already in market.

A color system with flexibility

We also developed a system of colorways for all its products that gives each package a clear presence on the shelf. And because it’s all about variety, we created guidelines for pairing each protein with a different color, building in visual flexibility for new products that will pop up in the future.

Speaking their language

As we created guidelines and tasty nuggets on what to say and how to say it, we considered the customers’ socioeconomics, the brand’s values, and the many voices in the marketplace. We focused on how to make JustFoodForDogs’ fresh stand out from everyone else’s fresh, and we made sure we communicated the science behind the brand without losing any of the heart. And we did it all with language that hopefully won’t get anyone sued.

Putting it all in practice

Once the identity, colors, messaging, and guidelines were all tight, it was time to give the refreshed brand a little leash and take it around the block with a few new creative campaigns. We developed a selection of strategic concepts and ultimately launched three integrated campaigns for JustFoodForDogs in the first quarter of the year.

Additionally, as we do with many clients, we offer ongoing marketing, design, and copywriting support after the foundational brand work is complete. With JustFoodForDogs, we pitched in on the practical, tactical work, including website updates, internal presentation decks, and creative support for its internal team.