Behind Culligan’s creative and agency reviews as new CMO plots global campaign

As the health benefits of filtered water continue to gain appeal, Culligan International is upping its game as it seeks a larger share of the worldwide market. The Rosemont, Illinois-based water systems treatment company has a new chief marketing officer and is on the hunt for a creative agency and a media agency to spearhead its first global brand awareness campaign, due out later this year. “Culligan has been in the market for a very long time and they’ve grown tremendously over the last several years, but there was a great opportunity to accompany that growth with brand strategy,” said Patricia Pieretti, who joined the company as CMO last year after working at SharkNinja. She noted that Culligan wants to ensure it is staying relevant for younger generations through education and awareness. “Water is one of those things that is precious but so complicated because people don’t think about,” she said. Pieretti helped develop Culligan’s new tagline: “Water you love.” 40 under 40 entries are open The final deadline for nominations is Aug. 2 Enter here Earlier this year, Culligan issued an RFP to some 10 creative agencies as it seeks to hone its messaging strategy. The brand is looking for an agency to create Culligan’s first global awareness campaign, which it plans to air in the fourth quarter of this year. That initial group of shops was recently narrowed to four finalists who will present over the next month. Pieretti said Culligan plans to award the project to the winning agency in about a month. She declined to name the finalists. Culligan has previously worked with Minneapolis-based Fallon for both creative and media duties, and more recently has collaborated in North America with Tinuiti and iProspect. Culligan will work to find a media agency once it selects a creative agency, Pieretti said. Though she declined to share the brand’s advertising spend, Pieretti said the new global campaign will be “double” what the brand has spent in the past on the regional level. The push comes amid a pullback in the company’s recent spending in the U.S. For example, last year, Culligan, which also owns brands including Quench and Waterlogic, spent $16 million on measured media in the U.S. only, a decline from 2022’s $24 million, according to Vivvix, including paid social data from Pathmatics. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Culligan (@heyculligan) Pieretti specifically noted a focus on growth potential in the agency search. “We wanted to make sure we were bringing agencies that were midsize,” she said. “We wanted agencies we could partner with and grow together.” The new strategy continues a brand update that has been rolling out in recent years as Culligan, which was founded in 1936, looks to younger consumers to propel its growth into the future. Gone are the days of “Hey, Culligan Man!”—an antiquated tagline first developed for advertising in the late ’50s—as the brand embraces a more modern identity. Three years ago, Culligan was acquired by BDT Capital Partners and has expanded its footprint. The company currently has offices in 40 countries and does business in more than 90. After spending her first 15 months on the job learning the business, researching consumer insights and developing a brand foundation, Pieretti said she is ready to shepherd Culligan into the next chapter. “Everybody needs water,” she said. “We need to evolve and continue to grow and we are on a journey trying to find consumers where they are.” Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs

Behind Culligan’s creative and agency reviews as new CMO plots global campaign

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