French home improvement retailer Leroy Merlin has launched ‘Les Produits Anti-Flemme’, the very first anti-procrastination programme, in collaboration with creative agency FullSix to help French people tackle those little jobs they keep putting off.
Whilst nearly 60 % of French people describe themselves as DIY enthusiasts¹, 56 % rank small jobs among the “chores” they are most likely to put off until tomorrow. It is in this insight that Leroy Merlin and its agency FullSix found the starting point for the “Anti-Laziness Products”.
The shelf has been bought, the drill is fully charged and the tube of silicone is patiently waiting at the back of the cupboard. Everything is ready. Except us.
For Leroy Merlin is convinced that improving your home means improving your life: these small jobs left undone are no small matter. Rather than waiting for motivation to fall from the sky, the brand decided to offer it alongside the product sale, by launching the first DIY motivation programme.
Leroy Merlin offers DIY motivation
The concept is as simple as it is unexpected: after the purchase, the product itself reaches out via WhatsApp and keeps reminding its owner until the job is finally done.
Once registered, users choose the timeframe within which they wish to complete their projects: one, two or three weeks. The frequency of messages is then adjusted accordingly, offering a level of support that is more or less intensive.
But don’t assume these reminders are impersonal. Each product speaks with its own strong personality: the paintbrush becomes a tortured artist and an unapologetic drama queen; the psychic light bulb has already seen your crystal clear future (where you will put that light up!); the screws and wall plugs combine as a commando unit that doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘give up’; and the filler tube is a personal trainer who won’t give up on you until the very last touch-up.
Message after message, the products encourage, spur on and tease their owners, with one aim: to give them the push they need to finally take action. If the project turns out to be more complicated than expected, the bot gives customers access to a Leroy Merlin tutorial tailored to their project. Once the work is complete, all they need to do is report it to find out what awaits them at the end of the experience.
This programme allows Leroy Merlin to extend its support beyond the point of purchase: with the customer relationship continuing until the customer’s project is completed. This is a tangible way of putting the brand’s belief into practice: improving your home means improving your life.
FullSix: Transform an insight into an experience
FullSix designed and developed the campaign, from identifying the insight through to rolling out the program on WhatsApp. Its creative take: Transform a purchased product from a passive object into a driver of action.
To bring this idea to life, the agency first identified the small jobs that French people have a tendency to put off, before selecting 4,000 eligible references in collaboration with Leroy Merlin.
Organised by large project categories, the products were then linked to specific conversational flows. FullSix imagined their personalities, crafted the messages, defined their tone and pace, and developed the bot.
According to comparative industry studies, messages sent via WhatsApp Business have read rates of between 95 % and 98 %, with many of them being read within minutes of receipt. The platform therefore enables a sustained experience, in a casual and direct way, well-suited to a series of personalised follow-ups, tailored to the DIY project.
How does it work ?
- I purchase one of 4,000 eligible products, in-store or online
- I receive an email inviting me to join the WhatsApp bot
- I chose the timeframe: One, two or three weeks to take action
- My product encourages, reminds and gently puts me under pressure to act, in its own way
- If I need help, I can access my LEROY MERLIN tutorials, tailored to my project
- I mark the work as complete, and discover what awaits me at the end of the experience.
So, what are you waiting for?