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11 min read
THE BRAND EVOLUTION OF GUARDIAN PET FOODS TO NOBL FOODS
The Birth of an Idea
In early 2017, Jim Galovski had a vision: a nutritionally dense, freeze-dried food bar that would turn the pet food market on its head. But great ideas need great execution. Ryan Yamka joined as co-founder and COO in July 2017. Ryan's expertise in animal nutrition turned Jim's prototypes into patent-worthy innovations. By October 2017, Guardian Pet Food Company was born, with patents filed in the US, Canada, and the EU.
Guardian Bars: The First Iteration
Let's face it: The initial packaging for Guardian Bars was about as exciting as watching kibble dry. Utilitarian doesn't begin to cover it. The potpourri of dog breeds on the packaging left consumers scratching their heads, and the animal images were about as popular as a cat at a dog show.
A call with a K9 handler sparked the idea for "MoRE Canine Food Bars" – think MREs, but for your four-legged friends. The freeze-dried treats followed suit with "Whole Prey Treats," and for the veggie options, "No Prey." Pretty clever, right? At least the first name and product line had a well thought out meaning behind them.
The Guardian Pet Foods Ethos
From day one, Guardian was built on three core principles:
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Make the best pet food possible from the pet's perspective.
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Never sacrifice pet well-being for profit.
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Transparency in all things.
Their original tagline, "Real. Simple. Honest," was as straightforward as their approach to pet nutrition.
The first logo was a mash-up of Celtic and Norse mythology – a Circle of Protection meets Odin's Horns. Cool in concept, but it needed more explanation than a complex calculus problem.
Guardian Pet Food Company and their Visual ID before we got involved.
Enter CRRNT: A Match Made in Pet Heaven
Jim and Ryan knew they needed help, kinda. Their logo, packaging, and product were like three dogs pulling in different directions. With the Global Pet Expo looming, it was time to call in the pros. They wanted a partner with fresh eyes and zero pet food industry baggage. After a parade of agencies big and small, they chose CRRNT. Why? Because sometimes, you need an outsider's perspective to see what's right under your nose.
CRRNT's journey with Guardian began with an introduction from Michelle Akers – yes, that Michelle Akers, FIFA Player of the Century, former USWNT stud turned horse rescuer. Small world, right? Initially, I wasn't chomping at the bit to take on a start-up pet food client. But then something miraculous happened. I started feeding Super Benelli "Nelli", my chocolate lab, the Guardian bars Jim left behind on his visit to Seattle. Everything Jim promised – high nutrition, less poop, happy dog – was delivered. I went from a skeptic to a believer in a few weeks.
As a futurist and emerging technology enthusiast, I’m excited about the potential benefits AI could bring to hunting. At the same time, as a hunter deeply committed to the development of skills needed to be successful and overall fair chase, I recognize the need to consider how emerging technologies are integrated into our industry carefully. AI is maturing rapidly, and it’s crucial that we proactively shape how it’s used in hunting rather than merely reacting to changes as they hit the market.
The Evolution Begins
Our team knew right away that "Guardian" as a brand name was about as unique as a Labrador at a dog park. But telling Jim and Ryan their brand baby is ugly required finesse. None of our team had previous CPG Pet experience so, first up: a deep dive into the pet food category. Then, we conducted a remote workshop leading them through an evidence-based research approach that revealed their brand name and logo did not stand out in a market sector full of competition.
Crafting a New Identity
We built a brand platform and framework that captured the essence of Jim and Ryan's vision fueled by our expertise. We landed on a brand voice that was as authentic as a dog's unconditional love. It harnessed the attitude of Jim and Ryan with a candid truth that kibble is a crappy meal for our dogs.
Two brand promises emerged:
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"Live It Up": For the pet that's part adventurer, part couch potato.
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"By Their Side": Putting pets first, always.
The final brand platform was a dog's dinner of goodness:
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Principles: Cut the Crap, Make It Easy, Shake It Up
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Personality: Animal, Vibrant, Intelligent, Unafraid
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Desired Outcomes: Trust, relatability, and a dash of "I want that life for me and my dog!"
The Name Game
Naming a brand with Jim and Ryan was trying to get a cat into a bathtub – challenging but rewarding when you get it right. We went through multiple rounds, plenty of good options and just as many that didn't work. We explored "Grail," a name closer to Guardian to "Puup" (yes, really); we explored them all. A pack of the finalists included Moar, Nosh-It, with the eventual winner: NOBL.
The final NOBL name in black and white
Weeks of black-and-white explorations led us to this palette
The final NOBL name
NOBL wasn't just a name; it was a manifesto: "There's no shortage of lousy pet food out there. So let's cut the crap. NOBL makes the best nutritional wellness product for your pet, and (Jim and Ryan) we're unabashedly excited to say so. Why? Because we know that in the end, you want what's best for your pet and appreciate the No Bulls*t approach. So do we."
The final NOBL Nose
The Nose Knows
And then came the pièce de résistance – the Nose. It was a needed seal of approval, inspired by the way dogs investigate new things; nose first. Getting it right was harder than teaching an old dog new tricks, but the result was worth it.
The final NOBL Nose
The NOBL Difference
In the end, NOBL emerged not just as a rebrand, but as a reimagining of what pet food could be. It wasn't just about a new name or a fancy logo. It was about creating a brand that truly understood what pet owners – and their furry friends – really needed.
From Guardian to NOBL, it was a journey of discovery, innovation, and a whole lot of tail-wagging excitement. Sometimes, to create something truly special, you need to think outside the kibble box.
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