Royal Kennel Club
Giving dogs the royal seal of approval
Background
Founded in 1873, the Kennel Club is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious canine clubs. For over 150 years it has protected dog health and defended high standards in breeding and training. And yet, like many historic clubs, in recent years it has suffered from perceptions of being old-fashioned and outdated.
A rebrand and name change presented the perfect opportunity to flip this.
But this was a refresh with a difference. Tasked with introducing a new royal accolade to the Club’s positioning, our brief was to drive a reappraisal of a warmer, more relatable Kennel Club – but to do so while reintroducing it as the ‘Royal’ Kennel Club.
How we got there
‘Royal’ provided a clear tension in the brief: in today’s world, associations with royalty do not automatically cue accessibility, warmth and relatability. For exactly that reason, we doubled down on our interpretation of what it means to be royal.
We found the answer in a simple truth – in an attitude that unites all dog lovers –that dogs are royalty. In homes across the UK, owners are habitually prioritising their dogs over themselves, often indulging the wildest of whims for the sake of their canine friends. This was the strand that connected the Royal Kennel Club with its dog-loving audiences: the unyielding commitment to serving the dogs in our lives.
Just like owners, breeders, and dog lovers everywhere, the Royal Kennel Club exists to be at their service.
Creative
Our focus was on balancing dignity with warmth. We wanted the new brand to show up with wit and an inner smile, while maintaining authority and leadership. Crucially, our ambition was to firmly position the Royal Kennel Club as adjacent to British luxury and design brand icons, not the wider pet category.
This began with the dogs themselves. Rejecting the category default to lean into silliness and cuteness, we instead used posture, setting, and a rich palette to hero the animals’ high status. Art directionally, this was a love letter to the beauty and dignity of dogs.
Meanwhile, we used copy to introduce a hint of playful wit. We drew from a pool of idioms quietly related to royalty, allowing us to nod to the royal status owners often afford their dogs – all with a knowing smile.
Production
Art direction was critical to the campaign, which meant production had to be choreographed carefully. For the single-day shoot, we invited previous Crufts winners to be the stars of the show; working with them, their owners, and on-hand veterinary experts to ensure we captured them at their best.
The detail of every scene was planned thoroughly in advance, yet opportune set-ups still found a way to steal our hearts on the day.
Brand and campaign launch
Upon launch, we made our strategy sweat across multiple channels and touchpoints. Using the foundations set up in our brand campaign, we launched a social-first reappraisal campaign for the Royal Kennel Club, designed to grow awareness and understanding of what the organisation does to serve dogs.
But our work didn’t end here. Our campaign has spanned earned-first activations, organic social, paid advertising, and press outreach. The rebrand represents a significant shift in the positioning and direction of the Royal Kennel Club, and the launch of its new royal title is but the first step in our work to support the organisation.