“Who we are” ads, or if you’re a grown-up, manifestos, seem to follow a tried and true pattern. They have a tried and true job to do – deliver a lot of factual information. Serviceplan France’s who we are ad for Auchan has something extra. Names. Names of real people. The agency has given Auchon’s factual information a reason for being the way it is – people. People with names, chosen from a search by the brand on its website that received hundreds of responses.
The new campaign ends five years of advertising silence and introduces a new brand position. The film, directed by Michael Lawrence through Wanda Production is a statement to the everyday heroes who daily, all over France, “Act to change the lives of the French”.
Serviceplan’s 90-second ad is running as a TVC and is the starting point for a major 125-day promotional campaign, Auchan 125 Days, whose themes will be supported each week on radio, digital and via the distribution of leaflets throughout France.
Dimitri Guerassimov and Fabien Teichner, partners and creative directors of Serviceplan France explained, “Through this film, we wanted to salute the entrepreneurial spirit of thousands of Auchan employees, daily allies of French consumers. To give breath to this narration, we entrusted it to a director capable of restoring all the emotion that resides in the simplest moments of life, Michael Lawrence. “We were looking for a soundtrack that rises throughout the film to take the audience on a journey. A music that is both dynamic, epic and lyrical, while not very well known so that it becomes easily Auchan music. The original band of the Fighters (Prologue by Hit + Run) corresponds perfectly to what we were looking for.” The playlist of the launch campaign was carried out in partnership with Deezer.
Fabienne Mainguy, director of the Auchan Retail France Brand, added, “This film and all the elements of the communication device reflect Auchan’s societal mission. As a heritage company with a special place in the heart of the French, we must work every day to make their lives better. It is in this state of mind and with this desire that our employees are working all over France to provide our customers with daily proof of this commitment.”
Credits:
Agency: Serviceplan
Joint Partners & Chief Creative Directors: Dimitri Guerassimov & Fabien Teichner
Advertiser Directors: Fabienne Mainguy & Alexandre Personne
Account Directors: Stéphane Perrot, Lydie Bocquillon & Philippa Cave
Production Company: Wanda Production
Director: Michael Lawrence
TV producer: Laurent Rebeillard
Sound production: THE
Soundtrack: Bande originale des Combattants, Prologue by Hit+Run
