Stanley Steemer has selected Havas Chicago as its creative agency of record after a three-month review, marking the brand’s first consistent agency partnership in years, the companies shared exclusively with ADWEEK.
The move comes after Andrew Schneider, formerly of Wendy’s, took over as vice president and head of marketing earlier this year with a mandate to modernize the 75-year-old brand.
“When you ask a consumer, they say, ‘Oh yeah, I know Stanley Steemer, you have that jingle.’ But they don’t really know what we actually do in a modern-day culture,” said Schneider.
The review, managed by Joanne Davis Consulting, drew interest from around 50 agencies before narrowing to 10, then three finalists. Schneider emphasized that Stanley Steemer had no incumbent creative AOR, having previously worked with a mix of vendors.
Stanley Steemer spent an estimated $61 million on measured media in the U.S. in fiscal year 2024, according to COMvergence.
For Havas Chicago, the appeal of working with the brand was clear.
“You have the color yellow, that jingle, those vans, of course the 800 number—this is a dream for a marketing person in an agency,” said Frank Dattalo, chief creative officer. “It’s really about evolving these brand assets for a modern, contemporary world… It’s a privilege and a responsibility. You want to get it right.”
Schneider confirmed the jingle will remain central to the marketing, though it will get a revamp.
“It is very much rooted in the history and what we won’t change as a brand, but we should evolve it,” he said, pointing to a moment when Selena Gomez sang the tune on TikTok. “We’re not just carpet cleaners anymore. We actually provide a full home, deep clean.”
The upcoming campaign will debut this fall with media placements around college football and HGTV programming. Schneider described the work as bringing “main character energy” to a brand that once defined the category but hasn’t acted like it recently.
“We are currently looked at as a luxury clean, and I really want to reposition us to this household essential,” he said.
“More than anything, we want you to feel something, and to make Stanley Steemer matter more in culture,” Dattalo added.
The pitch closed in early August, ending with a moment both Schneider and Dattalo described as unforgettable. Schneider recalled visiting Havas’ Chicago office to ask if the agency was “ready to get to work,” while Dattalo—delayed on his commute during his first week in Chicago—sprinted into the room out of breath.
“Andrew’s got this smirk on his face … and he goes, ‘You guys won.’ I erupted like I’ve never erupted before,” said Dattalo. “Everybody outside the conference room was wondering if I was okay. But it was an incredible moment I’ll never forget.”