DQ Names Colle McVoy as Creative Agency of Record

​Colle McVoy, the Minneapolis-based creative agency known for building enduring relationships between forward-thinking brands and people, has been named creative agency of record for DQ, following a rekindled partnership that emerged after a competitive pitch in 2024.

DQ, one of the most iconic quick-service restaurant brands in North America, is looking to reframe how consumers see and experience the brand, shifting perception from being a “second stop” to a full meal destination. Colle McVoy is tasked with steering the brand through a crowded QSR category, where competitors are aggressively expanding into treats and raising the bar on convenience and value through digital innovation. The agency will lead this effort through a fully integrated creative remit as creative agency of record, including strategy, creative, digital and social.

Although Colle McVoy was named runner-up in last year’s formal review, the agency believed in the brand’s untapped potential. Known for building lasting connections between brands and the people who love them, Colle McVoy nurtured a relationship that began during the pitch process a year ago. Its ability to forge deeper connections with DQ fans, both old and new, ultimately led the client to select the agency as its agency of record.

DQ selected Colle McVoy for its shared ethos of amplifying joy in the everyday, along with its ability to move at the speed and scale DQ needs – thanks to an embedded team structure and nimble content engine. They were also drawn to Colle McVoy’s shared Midwestern roots – both companies are headquartered in Minnesota – and deep understanding of the brand’s cultural DNA and the communities it serves. As a full-service partner, Colle McVoy brings strategy, creative, design, production, and more under one roof, enabling integrated teams to collaborate seamlessly.

Colle McVoy has already hit the ground running. The agency took over DQ’s organic social channels just weeks before one of its biggest calendar moments, National Ice Cream Day (July 20), and jumped in with full force. The team led a 14-hour real-time social media command center across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, responding to thousands of fans and keeping the brand voice strong, friendly, and consistent. Two weeks later, the team supported Miracle Treat Day (July 31), one of DQ’s most meaningful initiatives benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The brand's first original organic content starts rolling out this month and will stretch into 2026. DQ's first fully integrated campaign is expected to debut in early 2026.

Together, the agency and brand are setting out to modernise the DQ experience while driving growth, reshaping consumer behaviour, and deepening emotional connection to position DQ as the go-to destination for both food and treats.

“DQ holds such a special place in culture and people’s lives, and we couldn’t be more excited to help write its next chapter," said Jessica Henrichs, CEO of Colle McVoy. "This agency was built on the belief that strong relationships drive the best work. From the very beginning, our connection with the DQ team has felt natural and energising – only deepening our profound commitment to the brand and its future. This is more than a partnership to us; it’s a shared journey to reimagine the brand experience while honouring its iconic legacy.”