Lactalis Canada Appoints McCann Canada AOR for Astro and IÖGO Brands

McCann Canada has been selected as the creative agency of record for Lactalis Canada's yoghurt brands, Astro, IÖGO, and IÖGO Nano. Tasked with full strategic and creative responsibilities across the Canadian market, according to the agency’s president, Ryan Timms, this mandate affirms the agency’s decision to go “all-in” from the very start of the pitching process.

“We came into this hungry – not just for the work, but for yoghurt too,” he explains. “There was a natural chemistry between our teams, and we made sure we showed up with a deep understanding of the category, the audience, and how we could help drive impact. We’re incredibly proud to now call Lactalis part of the McCann family of clients, and yes, our fridges are now fully stocked with delicious and nutritious Lactalis yoghurt.”

A pivotal opportunity for McCann to deepen its work in the consumer-packaged goods space, and bring a uniquely Canadian brand onto its client roster, this new piece of business will be shared between the network’s Toronto and Montreal offices, to ensure bilingual, coast-to-coast creative reach. Collectively guided by a sense of tangible partnership, Ryan notes that the teams are rallying around key lessons learned during the pitching process, using these as a base from which cut-through creative can be built.

“We focused on really establishing the right chemistry from the outset, so Lactalis could get a clear sense of what it’s like to work with McCann,” he continues. “We worked hard at bringing a very thoughtful perspective to its business, and the opportunities to build on what we see happening in the category and Canadian culture to drive impact with its audiences. And, we delivered all that in a truly immersive experience.”

Expanding on this, Sabrina Zollo, VP, marketing, yogurt and cultured at Lactalis Canada, adds that the McCann’s insight, creativity and clear understanding of what drives consumer connection are traits which also helped the agency stand out, and instil confidence that the future is bright for this new team-up.

“We were looking for a creative partner that could truly match our passion for bringing the best of dairy to Canadians, and one that would also bring fresh, strategic thinking and breakthrough creative to the table,” she says. “We’re thrilled to begin this new chapter together.”

With work having already kicked off on September 8th, and the first campaign expected to launch in early 2026, thus far, the agency has leaned heavily upon what it learned during the pitch process to steer the ship. Keenly aware that future creative work must deliver real impact, and help Lactalis build its brands and business in Canada, Ryan emphasises that despite the scale of the task, things are moving in a positive direction.

“We’ve already hit the ground running, learning more and more by the day,” he concludes. “We’re like sponges at this stage. We just want to know it all so that we can ensure that the creative we come back with is spot on.”