Tom&Co taps into emotional connection with pets for new branding platform

Empathy, emotional bonding and a ‘true care culture’ for animal wellbeing – these 3 aspects are reflected in Tom&Co’s new branding platform, which taps into the emotional connection between owners and pets.

Under the motto “We never do too much for family” (On n’en fait jamais trop pour la famille in French and Voor onze familie is niks teveel in Flemish), the retailer aims to transform its customer experience both physically and digitally.

Realistic family portraits 

The campaign, which has been rolled out in Belgium and France, consists of 3 different videos showcasing realistic family portraits, including a woman in her 30s with her cat, parents who consider their dog their youngest child and grandparents whose dog joins them for walks.

“We wanted to create a strong emotional connection by portraying realistic family portraits, based on the principle of ‘real life, real talk.’ No talking animals, no perfect homes – just real life, as our customers live it,” Wouter Lefevere, Tom&Co’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), tells GlobalPETS.

A powerful insight shaped the focus of the branding platform: 95% of pet parents view their animals as family members, and 45% even consider them like a child.

“This shift in perception became central. We weren’t just talking about companionship anymore – we were talking about a deep, intimate, familial connection,” Lefevere says.

According to him, this influenced the entire creative direction to drive “a warm, sincere, relatable tone.”

Moving away from tradition

This messaging is designed to move away from the often cold feel of traditional retail branding.

“And above all, it expresses a shared passion for animals, shown through everyday life scenes: a cat stretched across the keyboard, a dog who understands ‘walk’ better than his own name or a rabbit who has his own spot on the sofa,” adds Lefevere.  

Tom&Co has made a conscious decision to avoid some of the common tropes of pet marketing, such as talking animals and perfect homes, in favor of real-life experiences and genuine people.

Emotional consistency

But the Belgian retailer also looked within, recognizing that some of its messaging was outdated and overly promotional, with little emotional consistency.

“In short, the brand had solid foundations – but it needed a new voice: closer, more human, more relevant,” Lefevere notes.

He adds that the brand’s new motto tells the truth and aims to differentiate Tom&Co in the market.

“Most retailers focus on price or products. Tom&Co talks about relationships,” Lefevere says. “Our signature says it all: we understand that your pet isn’t just a ‘plus’ – they’re part of your inner circle.”

Rollout

The new branding will be present across both physical and digital platforms. While components in stores will feature warm visuals and narrative signage, Lefevere says there’s something else that’s crucial.

“Our advisors play a key role in building a relationship with the customers and help to take better care,” he says. “They receive ongoing training, designed to make them true trusted guides for pet parents in Belgium and France. Their mission is to support each customer on every aspect of their pet’s life – from food and health to behavior and accessories – just like a trusted family advisor would.

Lefevere says that the values of the branding mark a true cultural shift for the business, allowing it to be less transactional and more focused on an emotion-driven service model.  

Rebranding KPIs

What key performance indicators (KPIs) does the company consider essential for the rebrand?

In the short term, success will be measured through campaign reach, including total impressions and completed video views, as well as engagement rates across digital channels. These metrics will help assess how effectively the brand captures attention and prompts interaction.

Longer-term KPIs focus on brand equity and business growth. These include improvements in overall brand awareness and sentiment (referred to internally as “brand love”), stronger customer retention and the ability to attract new customers. 

Additionally, the company will be monitoring increases in wallet share across different behavioral customer segments to determine whether the rebrand is driving deeper and more valuable relationships.