Better Eating France’s Intermarché
The retail supermarket genre of advertising communication for me has generally been a formalistically driven purveyor of low interest commercials with the odd exception, like France’s remarkable Intermarché brand affinity campaigns.
Founded by Jean-Pierre Le Roch in 1969, and named Intermarché in 1972, the French supermarket chain is part of the ‘Les Mousquetaires’ retail conglomerate.
1. Intermarché Supermarket, Until My Last Breath
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
Directed by filmmaker Katia Lewkowicz, the commercial takes its title from its soundtrack song, “Jusqu’à mon dernier souffle” (Until my last breath) by the Terrenoire electronic hip-hop and French chanson duo, of brothers Raphaël and Théo.
The emotive scenario about a family’s gratitude pays tribute to health care personnel who have, ‘until their last breath’, sacrificed everything, to take care of others in response to the health emergency caused by Covid19.
And if ever there was a time to pay tribute to healthcare workers it’s now, during the middle of an ongoing pandemic where dedicated hospital staff are heroes being stretched beyond their limits.
On Shots.net, Alexandre Hervé, Executive Creative Director at Romance, summed up his agency and Intermarché’s brand affinity initiative:
“We wanted to create a film that would live up to the exceptional year we have lived through, marked by the commitment and sacrifice of the carers”.
2. Intermarché Supermarket, Love Story
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
This classic ‘boy gets girl’ scenario directed by filmmaker Katia Lewkowicz, is about Intermarché’s passion for fresh produce and healthier meals.
Visually driven by filmmaker Katia’s superbly elicited cast performances, the story is supported by a resonant soundtrack of French singer, Marcel Mouloudji’s song, ‘L’amour, L’amour, L’amour’.
3. Intermaché Supermarket, Questions
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
Charmingly directed by filmmaker Rudi Rosenberg this insightful story centers on a young boy seeking answers to his many ponderings with interminable questions to his parents.
He’s perfectly happy with the implausible answers his parents invent on the spur of the moment, except for one that leaves his parents stumped for an immediate response.
4. Intermarché Supermarket, The Right Vegetables
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
Intermarché’s integrated communication campaign to promote their fresh produce involved playing a mischievous trick on their customers by mixing up onions with fennels, cabbages with lettuces, and cucumbers with courgettes.
It wasn’t long before social media sites were flooded with complaints by outraged consumers condemning Intermarché for their lack of professionalism.
When ‘The Right Vegetables’ campaign revealed that the interruptive activation was a purposely initiated ‘set-up’, it became clear that many people are surprisingly, not that clued-up about the differences between the vegetables on offer.
‘Because to eat better, first you have to know what you are eating’, integrated communication campaign, included in-store communication kits for children featuring an app for a fun quiz game about identifying different vegetables and naming them correctly.
5. Intermarché Supermarket, Santa’s Diet
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
Directed by filmmaker Katia Lewkowicz, this engaging story features a remarkable performance by a young lad concerning the vexing problem of Santa’s wide girth.
In his present physical condition, Santa is never going to be able to slide down inside their chimney at home. He solicits the help of his sister to come up with healthier food offerings for slimming down the rather too roundly jolly Santa.
The soundtrack features Henri Salvador’s well-known French song, “J’ai tant reve” (I’ve dreamt so much).
6. Intermarché Supermarket, The Most Beautiful Mum in the World
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
Intermarché is the only French grocery chain to produce over 2,000 different products in its own kitchens in France.
Directed by filmmaker Rudi Rosenberg, this endearing scenario centers on a young boy’s joyful sharing of cookies he claims are homemade treats baked by his Mum, when in fact they’re ‘Chabrior’, Intermarché’s own line of biscuits.
The commercial is aptly supported by the resonating soundtrack of Spanish tenor Luis Mariano’s song, ‘Maman, la plus belle du monde’.
7. Intermarché Supermarket, Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables
Advertising Agency: Marcel, Paris, France
For the European Year Against Food Waste, Intermarché introduced their remarkable ‘Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables’ initiative that won ‘Best of Show’ at the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards and three Grand Prize prizes.
Several years later, case studies of the campaign’s impressive impact, remain a cited talking point in discussions about the ubiquitous prevalence of food wastage when millions of people across the globe are starving.