Purina Picks MRM for Chef Michael’s Digital Chores

Nestlé’s Purina today named MRM Worldwide in Minneapolis as its lead digital agency for the new dog food brand.

The announcement was made following a review of undisclosed agencies. The Minneapolis office of MRM is already working on creating and maintaining a web site for Chef Michael’s, which will go live in the second quarter of this year. The Chef Michael’s brand includes canned and dry dog food. It will be distributed in supermarkets and other retailers later this year.

Advertising plays up the brand’s core premise that pet owners want their pets to enjoy the same level of taste they do. “Preparing food for someone is one of the most caring things you can do for them, and the Chef Michael’s brand underscores the level of caring people have for their dogs,” Lynn Cerra, evp and managing director of MRM Minneapolis, said in a statement.

MRM Minneapolis collaborated with Interpublic Group’s Emerging Media Lab in Los Angeles to develop low-cost strategies for generating brand awareness. The agency is also working on developing online programs for the Chef Michael’s brand.

MRM Minneapolis has been on the Nestlé Purina PetCare roster since 1997. The Chef Michael’s account marks the shop’s first win this year.