June 2023 | Bray & Co Is Selected as Agency of Record for Portacool

New York, NY — June 2023 — Bray & Co has been selected as Agency of Record, both creative, media and strategy, for Portacool as part of a competitive pitch, marking a pivotal moment for the heritage cooling brand as it actively redefines how it shows up in an increasingly competitive and commoditized category.

Portacool operates in a market where most brands compete on the same variables: specifications, durability, price, and availability. While those factors matter, they rarely create preference. Over time, the category has become functionally interchangeable, making it difficult for even the most established brands to stand out in a meaningful way.

Portacool’s leadership recognizes that continuing to compete solely on features limits future growth. The brand seeks a partner who can help it rise above category conventions without abandoning the credibility it has built over decades. Bray & Co is selected for its ability to translate functional strength into emotional clarity, and to do so in a way that performs across media, retail, and real-world buying environments.

“Portacool has always stood for real work and real pride,” says Peter Bray, Founder and Executive Creative Director of Bray & Co. “Our role is not to change who they are, but to elevate what is already true and make it impossible to ignore.”

As Agency of Record, Bray & Co is tasked with developing a long-term brand platform that supports Portacool’s national ambitions. This goes beyond a campaign refresh. The work focuses on defining a point of view strong enough to guide creative, media, and messaging decisions over time.

Central to the partnership is Bray & Co’s integrated approach. Creative and media are developed together from the outset, ensuring ideas are not only compelling, but designed to perform in the environments where Portacool competes. This integration allows the work to be sharper, more consistent, and more effective across channels.

Rather than defaulting to category language, the agency focuses on uncovering the emotional truth behind Portacool’s role in people’s lives. The insight is simple but powerful: Portacool is not just about cooling air, it is about enabling people to keep working, building, and showing up in demanding conditions.

That truth becomes the foundation for everything that follows.

For Portacool, selecting Bray & Co represents a commitment to long-term brand building at a time when many companies are tempted to chase short-term performance metrics. For Bray & Co, the appointment reinforces its role as a partner for established brands looking to evolve without losing their identity.

The AOR appointment also reflects a broader shift in how brands evaluate agency relationships. Rather than looking for executional support alone, Portacool seeks a partner who can help the brand rise above expectations, protect its equity, and drive growth in a crowded market.

The partnership sets the stage for a new chapter in Portacool’s story, one built on meaning, consistency, and effectiveness rather than features alone.