Leroy Merlin: A " sonic branding " that Has Become a Brand Hallmark
sonic branding
Giving the Brand a Voice
sonic logo
Brand anthem
Advertising music
Brand voice
It took three years to find the right sound for Leroy Merlin
In 2017, Leroy Merlin is reinventing itself. The goal: to no longer be just a home improvement megastore, but to become a lifestyle brand—one that’s approachable and caring—that supports everyday home projects.
sonic branding. has been part of this transformation from the very beginning. We won the bid and then began working with the Leroy Merlin teams on a project that would last nearly three years.
Three years to listen to the label, understand its new platform, and explore what it could become musically.
We define a framework centered on “time to choose,” which embodies four dimensions of the brand: humility, fulfillment, kindness, and determination.
This project has resulted in a brand anthem and a web sonic logo. A simple, sensitive, and dynamic identity—deliberately distanced from the functional conventions of DIY and designed from the outset to stand the test of time.
The Adventure of a Lifetime: The First Big Test
To mark the launch, BETC has created a new brand campaign, The Adventure of a Lifetime, centered on Sailing by Rod Stewart.
Leroy Merlin wants to launch its new " sonic branding." BETC emphasizes the strength of Sailing. Two approaches converge: that of a brand building its consistency over time and that of a campaign with its own creative concept.
After numerous discussions, BETC has proposed that we produce a remake of "Sailing". We produced it in the musical style of the Leroy Merlin anthem to preserve the song’s emotional impact and familiarity while positioning it within the brand’s new identity.
The campaign and the “sonic branding ” are being launched together. The Adventure of a Lifetime will become one of Leroy Merlin’s signature campaigns.
sonic branding s Gains a Foothold
Since then, thesonic branding has continued to thrive.
sonic logo s the TV and radio campaigns and enhances the in-store experience and the hold music on the phone. The brand anthem is also featured in stores and on the phone, and continues to evolve through new arrangements.
Season after season, year after year, these few notes have become a point of reference.
And the story with BETC is quite telling: after much discussion about the role of thesonic branding at the time of its launch, the agency ultimately turned its recognition into a creative driving force for its own campaigns.
"When you hear that sound, you think of Leroy Merlin."
Almost ten years later
At the launch, the music from *L’Aventure d’une vie* was spontaneously cited by 17% of viewers as one of the film’s standout elements, compared to the average of 11%. The film also won awards at the Cristal Festival and the Transform Awards.
But nearly ten years later, perhaps the best measure of its effectiveness lies elsewhere: thesonic branding is still up and running.
It has spanned regions, formats, and years. It has become so familiar that just a few notes are enough to bring the brand to mind.
A sound that became Leroy Merlin.
