Dairy Queen appoints SPCSHP as US creative agency of record

American Dairy Queen Corp., which owns and operates Dairy Queen restaurants, has hired independent shop SPCSHP as its U.S. creative agency of record following a three-month review handled by consultancy Sunday Dinner. SPCSHP (pronounced “Spaceship”) will aim to reestablish the brand’s food positioning with a particular focus on storytelling around its hot food menu. The New York-based shop, which will debut its work for Dairy Queen in 2025, stood out because of its “social media prowess and strategic approach,” according to a statement from the chain. Agency Review Tracker Stay up to date with the latest account reviews Click here “DQ is inherently known for our treat leadership, but, together, we want to ensure fans recognize that we also have great food,” said Becky Felling, VP, marketing communications, U.S. at ADQ. “We also want to ensure we are advancing our digital sales growth goals together.” Bakery was a finalist in the review, according to sources familiar with the matter. The agency declined to comment. Colle McVoy, which deferred comment to Dairy Queen, is also believed to have participated in the pitch. Barkley, which merged with OKRP in March, formerly held the business, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed. The agency did not defend the account, the spokesperson added. Dairy Queen declined to comment on its prior agency relationship and other shops in the review. OKRP is the creative agency of record for Burger King, which competes with Dairy Queen. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Dairy Queen’s U.S. measured media spend was down about 24% to $140.7 million in 2023 compared to 2022, according to Vivvix, which includes paid social data from Pathmatics. ADQ’s parent company is International Dairy Queen Inc., which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Dairy Queen has more than 7,500 restaurants in 20 countries. Publicis’ Spark Foundry handles media for the brand in the U.S. SPCSHP, which rebranded from Big Spaceship in February, works with clients including Starbucks, JPMorgan Chase and PepsiCo. The agency reported revenue of $40 million in 2023, compared to $40.2 million in 2022, according to its Ad Age Small Agency Awards entry.

Dairy Queen appoints SPCSHP as US creative agency of record

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