Quilted Northern Selects Orchard as New Creative Agency

Orchard is tasked with creating work that makes consumers who aren’t currently using Quilted Northern question their current toilet paper while giving them a compelling reason to buy the brand.

“We loved this pitch. It felt like a partnership from day one. We cannot wait to roll up our sleeves with the Quilted Northern team to give this brand its rightful status in the hearts and minds of consumers,” said Laura Janness, founder and chief strategy officer at Orchard, in a statement.

The brand stated that Orchard—the agency behind the jiggly Ocean Spray “Power Your Holidays” campaign—was the right choice as an agency partner because of its approach to creative development and its collaboration between strategy and creative, which was reflected in Orchard’s breakthrough creative ideas during the pitch. 

Another reason for choosing Orchard was team chemistry, both within the agency and with the brand. 

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“We engaged with them for multiple tissue sessions throughout the pitch process, and it was evident how much they enjoy working with each other,” Katie Kolesky, senior director, brand building at Georgia-Pacific, the parent company for Quilted Northern, told Adweek. “That was infectious, and we seemed to just mesh.”

Kolesky added that there were two additional agencies in the pitch process, one with which Georgia-Pacific has a relationship, along with one new to the company, with Orchard ultimately coming out on top. The pitch was led by an external partner that Quilted Northern has been working with for years and helped identify agencies that would be a good fit for the brand and its culture.

“In my opinion there is no better toilet paper out there, and I will fight anyone who says different,” said David Kolbusz, chief creative officer at Orchard, in a statement.

Quilted Northern previously worked with agencies including Argonaut, Droga5, DDB and Mekanism.

The partnership comes as the brand continues to explore new avenues for growth and consumer engagement, including its new recyclable paper packaging. The collaboration with Orchard looks to reinforce Quilted Northern’s market presence. The first work will launch in the second half of 2024.

“We look forward to creating a long-term partnership with Orchard, and based on the pitch, we expect to see breakthrough and memorable creative,” said Kolesky.

Details of the deal were not disclosed, but the projected 2023 U.S. spend for Quilted Northern is $13.5 million, according to COMvergence.