How a rebrand helped Colle McVoy recharge and grow beyond the Midwest

Colle McVoy last year was tasked with launching La-Z-Boy’s new “Long Live the Lazy” brand platform. Its solution was the invention of “The Decliner,” a limited-edition AI-powered recliner that generated excuses for canceling plans on behalf of customers who would rather relax and relish in the joy of missing out. The campaign was a big hit, amassing more than 1 billion impressions, and is an example of the type of out-of-box thinking the Stagwell-owned agency delivered for clients in 2023. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here In another example, Colle McVoy created a pair of sneakers designed specifically for lawn mowing for client Cub Cadet, the manufacturer of lawn mowing products. The “Ultimas” sneakers were designed by shoe designer Omar Bailey, former head of the Adidas Yeezy Innovation Lab. Through a big social media push, the campaign generated a 163% increase in year-over-year social media mentions for the brand, per the agency. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andrew Carlson (@thedadbodlawn) These successes are all the more impressive given that Colle McVoy started the year on shaky ground. It was coming off of one of its largest client losses, Land O’Lakes, in late 2021 that caused a roughly 20% decline in 2022 revenue. But in 2023, Colle McVoy achieved an 88% new-business win rate, picking up clients such as La-Z-Boy, Haribo and several Stanley Black & Decker brands including Craftsman. The agency grew its revenue by 35% from new business last year. Ad Age A-List and Creativity Gala Buy your ticket to the in-person event Click here The Minneapolis-based agency kicked off 2023 with a rebrand around a new mantra, the “Great Wide Open,” to signal its ability to embrace change. The rebrand helped Colle McVoy, well known in the Midwest already, expand its reputation nationally. It hired high-profile talent including Chief Creative Officer Ciro Sarmiento, who came from Saatchi & Saatchi’s Procter & Gamble-dedicated shop, Woven Collaborative. Internally, the agency also made waves. Colle McVoy achieved B Corp status last year. To that end, its executives are held accountable for environmental performance and employees must complete a carbon footprint calculator each year. The agency also increased its efforts to bring job listings to diverse communities through career platforms including Diverse Creatives, Handshake and Black Creatives. The agency said 40% of its new hires last year identified as Black, Indigenous or people of color; among staffers that were promoted, 12% were diverse and 74% were women. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here

How a rebrand helped Colle McVoy recharge and grow beyond the Midwest

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