US – The pet economy is booming with ownership rates rocketing over the past decade. While product categories have been keeping up with the momentum, the service industry has remained stagnant. Petfolk hopes to change this by introducing a new veterinary care service designed for modern pet parents.
Founded by a collective of vets with decades of clinical experience, the service offers a more thoughtful and proactive approach to pet health through compassionate leadership, tech-driven systems and a community of like-minded individuals. To bring Petfolk’s vision to life, the company hired New York-based agency Zero. The team was tasked with developing a holistic creative strategy including tone of voice, branding, art direction, content strategy and production, as well as web and social media design. The result is a comforting brand that feels familiar and professional.
’The consumerisation of healthcare and the humanisation of pets are two key trends that have shaped the veterinary market,’ says Chelsea Goldwell, partner and creative director at Zero. ‘When we looked around at the industry, none were built by vets or shared Audrey Wystrach's [co-founder] vision for how the space should be serving the pets, pet parents and veterinarians. Inspired by this, we aimed to make Petfolk stand out and feel different by making the brand feel warm, nurturing and community-orientated – infusing the brand with joy and making it feel less clinical than other brands in the space.’
Strategic opportunity
Over time, health services and settings have become softer and more emotional. The same should be considered for all other clinical destinations, including veterinary surgeries, medispas and beauty therapy centres.