Coffee mate, one of Nestlé USA’s top brands, has named independent creative agency Wieden+Kennedy New York (WKNY) its new agency of record. The agency is tasked with building the legacy brand creatively and as part of culture.
WKNY will serve as a business partner to the brand, helping Coffee mate further solidify its position as a market leader, as well as the leading creamer brand in America. The agency will spearhead brand strategy, creative development and social, as well as lead the brand’s inter-agency team. Through this work, WKNY will maintain brand awareness and tap into new and existing audiences.
WKNY won the business after a month-long pitch process that included numerous agencies and was run by Nestlé’s internal procurement team. The brand said what made WKNY stand out during the pitch process was how the agency challenged the brand to think outside the morning coffee occasion.
Coffee mate and WKNY’s first work together will launch in Q2 2024 and will be led by WKNY creative directors, Joaquin Salim and Mariana Oliveria, and overseen by the agency’s newly appointed co-CCOs, Brandon Henderson and Marques Gartrell.
The independent agency is already conducting consumer research and building out the brand platform. Both the brand and agency are looking forward to tapping into Coffee mate’s existing brand love.
“We have bold ambitions for Coffee mate and sought an agency partner with a proven track record in driving cultural relevance for brands,” said Leonardo Aizpuru, vice president of brand marketing for Nestlé USA’s Beverage Division in a statement. “We are confident the team at Wieden+Kennedy will help build on our existing brand love to connect with new consumers through creativity, setting the business up for success now and for generations to come.”
No details of the deal were disclosed, and COMvergence estimated the brand’s media spend between July 2022-June 2023 as just $50,000 in digital.