Zoetis hands Emotive creative duties for Simparica TRIO and Revolution PLUS

Zoetis has appointed independent creative agency Emotive, plus its production arm Emotive Productions, to handle creative for two of its biggest parasite-protection brands: Simparica TRIO for dogs and Revolution PLUS for cats.

The appointment followed a competitive pitch. Financial terms and contract length were not disclosed — standard practice in agency reviews, but it means we can't gauge the account's value. Emotive will lead creative across both brands and work alongside Zoetis' media agency Avenue C.

The stated remit: strengthen the connection between pet owners and the protection they choose. In plain terms, Zoetis wants flea-and-tick products sold on emotion, not veterinary obligation.

What does the client actually want?

Kim Wright, Marketing Manager, OTC Parasiticides (over-the-counter parasite treatments) at Zoetis, framed the brief around owner psychology:

"Pet owners don't spend their day thinking about parasites. They think about their dog or cat, and how much they mean to them. Emotive understood that from the very first conversation. Their feeling-led approach gave us a clear way to connect Simparica TRIO and Revolution PLUS to what owners truly care about. We're excited to get started."

That's a positioning claim, not a result. No campaign dates, no markets named beyond the implication of the Australia-based trade press coverage, no success metrics were disclosed.

How will the agency approach it?

Sebastian Revell, Chief Strategy Officer at Emotive, said the category is "low-involvement" — marketing shorthand for products buyers rarely think about until a problem appears. His pitch reframes the purchase:

"In a low-involvement category, Simparica TRIO and Revolution PLUS are brands that are growing and have huge potential. Our goal is to better connect with pet owners by making parasite protection feel like what it really is: an act of love."

Revell also flagged the media setup. "The best connected ideas get built when creative and media sit at the same table from day one, and that's exactly how we'll approach this partnership," he said, referring to collaboration with Avenue C.

Note what's absent: both executives promise "growth" and "potential," but neither offers a baseline. How fast are the two brands growing? What share do they hold? Zoetis didn't say. Claims of momentum without figures deserve a raised eyebrow.

Why this win matters for Emotive

The Zoetis appointment adds to a run of 2026 business wins for Emotive:

• Activision
• THE ICONIC
• Nespresso
• El Jannah

Four named wins in one year is a solid book, though the agency hasn't disclosed revenue impact for any of them.

For CMOs, the deal is a case study in category reframing. Parasite protection sits in the same psychological bucket as insurance or batteries: bought grudgingly, rarely loved. Zoetis is betting that tying Simparica TRIO and Revolution PLUS to the owner-pet bond moves the products from chore to care ritual — the same emotional playbook pet food brands have run for years.

Whether that works will show in the brands' next set of sales figures. Neither party committed to a timeline for first work under the new arrangement.