PETCO has built a multi-million dollar business caring for and supplying pet owners with everything from ferret food to fuzzy toys. As this unique business grew, so did the challenges. PETCO issued the call to Chute Gerdeman to “come,” “sit,” and listen, which we did.

From the beginning, the challenge was to define and articulate PETCO’s unique brand essence, one that reflected the fun, passion, and advocacy that pet ownership engenders. Working with the PETCO executives, we developed a platform around the idea of “pet champions”—a culture of people and products that support and help owners and their pets.

To articulate the refreshed brand vision, we created a dynamic store layout that featured the Treat Bar at the front of the store. The center core, anchored by the Treat Bar in front, features fashion (yes, Fido will be wearing stripes this year), and home items, a growing category for PETCO. Around the perimeter, we developed a full-service grooming salon, a health and wellness area, the Marketplace, and wrap up the loop in the Habitat, the area in which small animals are housed.

Every area received special focus that respected the fact that live animals are everywhere throughout the store: in grooming, floor-to-ceiling windows allow customers to see in (a feature which focus groups told us was important so people could see that pets are well cared for). To keep pets calm, we used reflective glass so they were not subject to the stress of seeing out into the busy store environment.

Key to expressing PETCO’s platform is the Pet Champions Advice desk, where owners can find information about pet care, obedience and training issues, and food and nutrition. If the desk is not staffed, a computer links the visitor to the vast information stored on the PETCO Care website. This area also gives a prominent home to the PETCO Foundation’s efforts, which have to date raised over $44 million for local pet welfare groups all across the country.

Adjacent to the Pet Champions desk is the Library, where books sit beside PETCO’s own extensive library of care sheets which are liberally distributed to customers at no charge. We take our hats off to PETCO for the investment of “living your brand” in this area.

This project remains one of CG's most unique. We learned much early on, through a series of focus groups with each type of pet owner, in which the wants and needs (and personalities!) were as different as their pets.