Media releases

Peter Withy (of Peter Withy Unplugged), brand agency WOW! Creative and Southern Light Media combined forces to develop RSPCA Petville, the umbrella brand for a diverse range of RSPCA South Australia businesses that are already operating or in the pipeline.

RSPCA South Australia’s first retail outlet, located in the north-eastern suburb of Hillcrest, is currently undergoing major renovations and will officially open under the RSPCA Petville banner on Saturday, February 16.

The new RSPCA Petville store will sell a range of quality pet-care products, have kittens available for adoption and offer expert dog and cat grooming and cat boarding.

RSPCA South Australia’s recently commenced dog training classes, promoting kind and effective force-free training methods, now also come under the new Petville brand.

In an exciting upcoming development, RSPCA South Australia’s second PetVille store including a doggy daycare is on track to begin operating at an eastern suburbs location within the next six months.

According to RSPCA South Australia CEO Paul Stevenson, the expansion of RSPCA South Australia’s commercial arm is in line with the organisation’s strategic move to find alternate income sources to supplement donations.

“Our care of between 9000 to 10,000 animals every year is wholly dependent on donations from the South Australian community, but there is a significant and growing shortfall,” Mr Stevenson said.

“Today’s launch of Petville is the result of extensive research to find alternate income streams.”

Every dollar spent at an RSPCA Petville business will go towards ensuring RSPCA South Australia can continue to care for thousands of mistreated, sick, injured and abandoned animals every year.

Peter Withy, who together with Southern Light Media provided professional services pro bono, has had a long association with RSPCA South Australia. In 2012 he helped with a successful campaign to increase the adoption rates for older cats.

Mr Withy described RSPCA Petville as “a bold and very timely offering from one of South Australia’s most trusted brands”.

“I’ve always admired the work of RSPCA SA and this is my way of helping them do what they do best — help animals in need.

“Once I had agreed to take on the project, I put together a small team who would help me bring it to life.

“Enter Gill Phillips, from Southern Light Media for marketing assistance and project management and Eddy Stradiotto and Nicole Donnelly from WOW! Creative for logo and brand language creation.

“I wanted to bring some fun to the category, without sacrificing the role and reputation of RSPCA SA.

“RSPCA Petville seemed to sum it all up very nicely.”

RSPCA South Australia CEO Paul Stevenson said having the three parties on-board throughout RSPCA Petville’s development had taken the new brand to a level that could not have been achieved with in-house expertise alone.

“We’re extremely fortunate and grateful to be the beneficiaries of this amazing collaborative effort by some of Adelaide’s most highly regarded creative minds.”

“They took the brief and exceeded it.

“The brand and marketing concept they’ve come up with has great potential for extension into other areas as our commercial operations continue to evolve.

“We hope the South Australian community supports RSPCA Petville by purchasing the brand’s products and services, which in turn supports those animals that need our help the most.”

Head over here for more information about RSPCA PetVille and to stay tuned for further information.