Castorama’s campaign “And if we started to change together” positions the brand as a longstanding partner in helping French consumers improve their homes with a renewed focus on sustainability and responsible living. The brand proposition emphasizes Castorama’s commitment to promoting positive, meaningful change—both personal and environmental—underscored by their 2021 signature, “Change makes us move forward.” By centering the campaign on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, Castorama aims to align its retail services with the growing consumer demand for ecological and sustainable home solutions, presenting change as an opportunity for better living that is both accessible and collective.
From a market strategy perspective, the campaign leverages the familiar and approachable symbol of the beaver, Castorama’s mascot, to humanize the brand’s responsible initiatives. This narrative approach combines emotional warmth with light humor to create an authentic, relatable tone that resonates with everyday life and the moderate pace of widespread behavioral change. Targeting environmentally conscious consumers in France, the campaign appeals to those open to adopting more sustainable lifestyles through home improvement. By showcasing CSR actions in a friendly, humble manner, Castorama differentiates itself within the retail sector as a brand not only focused on products but also on fostering a community moving towards more responsible consumption. The creative angle reflects a balance between optimism and realism, encouraging shared progress rather than imposing radical transformations, thus enhancing credibility and potential engagement despite modest digital performance metrics.
FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES — Uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall.
This campaign leverages the beaver, Castorama’s “favourite animal” and well-established brand mascot, as a central character to embody their values and commitments in a new film. The narrative’s emphasis on the beaver returning “in the spotlight” and carrying an “emotional and humorous” tone clearly aligns with the ongoing character format, designed to build familiarity and brand equity. There’s no heavy story arc resolution, direct demonstration, or parody; the lasting brand association is through this recurring character acting as a friendly, familiar ambassador for responsible change.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Leroy Merlin – Market Positioning
Leroy Merlin positions itself as a comprehensive home improvement retailer offering an extensive range of DIY, gardening, and home renovation products. It emphasizes customer empowerment through expert advice, workshops, and digital tools to support consumers in creating personalized, sustainable living spaces. The brand balances competitive pricing with innovation and strong CSR initiatives, targeting both amateur and professional renovators.
2. Brico Dépôt – Market Positioning
Brico Dépôt focuses on providing cost-effective, no-frills building and renovation materials primarily for professionals and serious DIYers. Its warehouse-style stores emphasize bulk buying and competitive pricing, catering to customers looking for value without sacrificing quality. The brand distinguishes itself by practicality, fast purchasing experiences, and robust supply chains aimed at efficient project completion.
3. Mr. Bricolage – Market Positioning
Mr. Bricolage adopts a community-oriented approach as a network of locally embedded stores that support local needs. It offers a curated selection of DIY and gardening products with a strong focus on personalized customer service and regional responsiveness. The brand leverages its proximity to customers with tailored advice and an emphasis on everyday home improvement solutions.
4. Weldom – Market Positioning
Weldom targets urban and suburban customers with a focus on neighborhood convenience, combining DIY, gardening, and household products in smaller, accessible store formats. The brand highlights customer care, practical guidance, and a participative approach to sustainability, encouraging responsible consumption through proximity and social engagement within communities.
5. Bricorama – Market Positioning
Bricorama positions itself as a versatile and accessible home improvement retailer, blending competitive pricing with a broad product range for DIY enthusiasts and homeowners. The brand emphasizes simplicity, customer friendliness, and innovation in services, aiming to inspire and support consumers in enhancing their living environments efficiently and sustainably.
Q: What is And if we started to change together about?
A: And if we started to change together is a 2022 campaign from Castorama, created by Publicis Conseil for the French retail market. The campaign centers on Castorama’s longstanding role in helping French consumers improve their homes, now with a sharpened focus on sustainability and responsible living. The creative execution features the return of the beaver mascot, delivering a film that blends emotional warmth and humor to spotlight the brand’s corporate social responsibility initiatives. The narrative positions Castorama as a partner in positive, collective change, encouraging consumers to embrace more sustainable and ecological home solutions.
Q: What creative device does And if we started to change together use?
A: And if we started to change together employs FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. The campaign leverages Castorama’s beaver mascot as a recurring character to build brand recall and embody the company’s values and commitments. This creative device relies on the familiarity and approachability of the beaver, using emotional and humorous storytelling to humanize Castorama’s responsible initiatives. The ongoing character format is designed to foster lasting brand association and emotional connection with audiences through repeated appearances and a consistent narrative tone.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for And if we started to change together?
A: The campaign proposition for And if we started to change together positions Castorama as a committed partner in helping French consumers pursue positive, meaningful change in their homes and lifestyles. By emphasizing the brand’s dedication to responsible consumption and sustainable living, the campaign targets environmentally conscious audiences seeking accessible ways to improve their homes. Castorama’s message, grounded in its signature Change makes us move forward, aligns its retail services with the growing demand for ecological solutions, presenting change as a collective opportunity for better living and reinforcing the brand’s role as a catalyst for shared progress.
Q: How does And if we started to change together rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: In Clapboard’s global ad archive, And if we started to change together holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 58/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards.
Q: Who are the competitors in Castorama's category?
A: In the French home improvement retail sector, Castorama competes with several key brands. Leroy Merlin is positioned as a comprehensive retailer focused on empowering customers with expert advice and sustainable solutions. Brico Dépôt targets professionals and serious DIYers with cost-effective, bulk purchasing and efficient project support. Mr. Bricolage emphasizes community orientation and personalized service through locally embedded stores. Weldom appeals to urban and suburban customers with neighborhood convenience and a participative approach to sustainability. Bricorama offers versatility and accessibility, blending competitive pricing with a broad product range to inspire efficient, sustainable home enhancement.
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