Brand and design consultancy StormBrands, has partnered with British pet services retailer, Pets at Home, on the redesign of the Wainwright’s brand visual identity and packaging range.

Wainwright’s is Pets at Home’s power brand in the ‘natural’ dog category with ambitions to be the market leader. The brand identity has moved through a series of minor updates over its fifteen-year life span but has remained relatively close to its original creative concept. With other pet food brands and own label products entering the category, it was the right time to rejuvenate the brand’s expression and remain relevant to its broadening customer base.

The emotional link and bond we have with our dogs has become increasingly important in recent years. The humanisation of pets has shaped the way we interact, celebrate, care, share and shop for our pets, bringing us closer together through respect and mutual dependency. Dogs are now very much ‘part of the family.’ Where once they were perhaps seen as ‘guardians of the homestead’, now they are very much at the heart of the home. The pandemic and lockdowns have seen this trend grow even further with young professionals buying dogs as companions as they work from home, and traditional ‘empty nesters’ continuing to enjoy their dog’s company. As lifestyles and priorities continue to shift, our pets have become integral to a wider understanding and investment in our holistic wellbeing.

StormBrands approaches each new piece of work through the lens of their own purpose: “Energising brands to move mindsets, markets and culture.” In the case of ‘Wainwright’s,’ Storm employed the brand’s purpose ‘It’s in Our Nature’ as a guiding principle to inform all areas of the redesign work. Initial design concepts were tested through consumer research which resulted in a clear winning route.

The resulting redesign for Wainwright’s reflects the trends in the market and changing consumer behaviour while reasserting Wainwright’s authority in the ‘natural’ category. The emotional bond between owner and dog is celebrated front and centre of pack via cleverly integrated life-stage silhouettes within idyllic picturesque landscapes, capturing a cherished moment in time. In what is a very crowded and complex category Storm have ensured standout on shelf with a clear and single-minded messaging hierarchy that declutters and aids clearer navigation for customers across all life stage and flavour variants.

Zoe Phillipson, StormBrands Creative Director commented:

“Over the years we’ve seen dogs become much more than the proverbial, ‘man’s best friend,’ they’re now an extension of ourselves and owners want the very best for their pets. Our redesign of Wainwright’s heroes this special relationship between owner and dog, placing it at the very heart of the brand and creating a powerfully emotional and cohesive identity that helps consumers make the right natural choice.”

Jill Mason, Pets at Home, Head of Own Brand and Innovation, added:

“Storm has defined a strong, cohesive and contemporary identity for Wainwright’s for the future direction of the brand. It now unites the brand purpose, values, product benefits and features and builds on the emotional connection between customers and the Wainwright’s brand allowing us to demonstrate leadership in the natural dog food category and deliver a clear, inspiring customer experience.”