Esselunga’s campaign "The Carrot," directed by Sune Sorensen and produced by SMALL agency, leverages storytelling deeply rooted in Italian family culture to reinforce the brand’s emotional connection with consumers. The campaign’s core proposition centers on the promise of understanding and supporting life’s pivotal moments—here, the emotional complexity of a father coming to terms with his daughter’s desire to move away. By framing the retail brand as an integral part of daily, familial life, Esselunga positions itself not merely as a provider of goods but as a presence that resonates with consumers’ personal and cultural values.
Strategically, the campaign taps into universal themes of family bonds and transition but amplifies these through an authentically Italian lens, reflecting the brand’s heritage and primary market. This cultural specificity is underlined through location choice, local talent, dialect, and meticulously crafted mise en scène, fostering relatability and credibility among target viewers in Italy while also appealing to Italian-American sensibilities in the U.S. The use of narrative film as the creative format allows for a nuanced exploration of emotional subtleties, elevating the brand’s identity beyond transactional retail to one focused on human experiences. By collaborating closely with the director and relying on a strong, personal insight—the father’s perspective on letting go—the campaign engages audiences with a story that is intimate yet widely resonant, supporting Esselunga’s broader market positioning as a trusted, family-oriented retailer.
FORMAT#5 EXEMPLARY STORY — Tells a story where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution.
This campaign exemplifies the Exemplary Story format as it crafts a narrative centered on a universal, emotionally resonant moment—an Italian daughter’s desire for independence and her father’s bittersweet struggle to accept her moving away. The story structure is highlighted in the campaign description, with deep focus on authentic characters, local culture, and the powerful intersection of family and food. The product (Esselunga retail service) is seamlessly woven into the emotional arc, likely serving as a symbolic or literal anchor at a key moment in the plot (perhaps via the carrot, a grocery item, as both a metaphor and product). Emotional storytelling and the “quintessentially Italian story” approach confirm this is a textbook case of a brand using an evocative narrative, with the product contributing to the story’s resolution, not just as a backdrop but as a catalyst or meaningful detail.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Carrefour – Carrefour leverages its extensive international presence and broad product range to position itself as a one-stop hypermarket offering both affordability and quality. It focuses on convenience, sustainability, and digital innovation, enhancing customer experience through online shopping and local sourcing initiatives.
2. Coop – Coop centers its brand on ethical consumption, environmental responsibility, and high-quality local products. It emphasizes strong community ties and cooperative values, attracting socially conscious shoppers who prioritize sustainability and transparency in their grocery choices.
3. Lidl – Lidl stands out with a cost-leadership strategy, providing private-label products at highly competitive prices without compromising on quality. The brand emphasizes efficiency in store design and supply chain, appealing to value-driven customers looking for convenience and affordability.
4. Essity (OASI) – Though smaller, OASI positions itself as a premium neighborhood grocery focused on personalized service, local produce, and freshness. It differentiates through a boutique retail experience, targeting shoppers seeking quality and community connection without the scale of big chains.
5. Amazon Fresh – Amazon Fresh disrupts traditional grocery retail by blending e-commerce convenience with speedy home delivery and competitive pricing. It leverages Amazon’s tech infrastructure and data-driven personalization to offer a seamless omnichannel experience tailored to busy, tech-savvy consumers.
Q: What is Esselunga | The Carrot about?
A: Esselunga | The Carrot is a 2024 campaign created by New York agency SMALL and directed by Sune Sorensen, set in Italy and the United States. It tells a deeply emotional story about Arianna, a young woman wanting to move away from home, and her father’s struggle to accept this change. The campaign uses a quintessentially Italian family narrative to strengthen Esselunga’s brand identity by connecting with universal themes of family bonds and transition. Shot in Genova with local talent and cultural authenticity, the film positions Esselunga as a brand that supports life’s pivotal moments through emotional storytelling.
Q: What creative device does Esselunga | The Carrot use?
A: Esselunga | The Carrot employs the Exemplary Story format as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This format centers on a narrative where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution. The campaign weaves the retail brand seamlessly into the emotional arc, using the product both literally and metaphorically to anchor the story’s key moments. By focusing on authentic characters, local culture, and a universal family experience, the campaign elevates the brand beyond transactional retail through a nuanced and emotionally resonant film.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Esselunga | The Carrot?
A: The campaign proposition for Esselunga | The Carrot positions the brand as an empathetic presence that understands and supports significant life transitions, specifically the emotional complexity of a father coming to terms with his daughter’s independence. Targeting consumers who value family and cultural tradition, the campaign frames Esselunga not just as a retailer but as an integral part of daily family life. This strategic positioning leverages Italian cultural specificity to foster emotional connection and reinforce Esselunga’s identity as a trusted, family-oriented retailer in the competitive retail services market.
Q: How does Esselunga | The Carrot rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Esselunga | The Carrot holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in storytelling, production craftsmanship, and its ability to resonate emotionally with its audience within the retail services sector.
Q: Who are the competitors in Esselunga's category?
A: Esselunga competes with Carrefour, which leverages its international reach and broad product range to offer convenience, sustainability, and digital innovation. Coop focuses on ethical consumption, environmental responsibility, and strong community ties to attract socially conscious shoppers. Lidl emphasizes cost leadership and efficiency, appealing to value-driven customers seeking affordability without sacrificing quality. Essity’s OASI positions itself as a premium neighborhood grocery with a boutique experience centered on local produce and personalized service. Amazon Fresh disrupts traditional retail by combining e-commerce convenience with fast delivery and data-driven personalization for tech-savvy consumers.
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