Dulux paint is urging Canadians to move on from the past with “What year is your room stuck in?” — a national campaign that targets consumers caught in a paint time-warp.
The campaign, the first from the brand since appointing DS+P its AOR in December, includes print, social, direct mail and POS. Two 30-second TV spots, tilted “1991” and “1986,” are also currently running.
The commercials feature tragically outdated decor; a living room with baby pink walls, and a wallpapered kitchen full of men with mullets. In “1991” the viewer is reminded of the decade thanks to spandex-clad women working out with a Thighmaster, while in “1986” the mullets speak for themselves. “It’s not them, it’s the room. It’s stuck in 1986,” says a woman to her astonished friend.
According to Doug Robinson, founding partner at DS+P, most people live in homes with rooms that haven’t been updated in years, and the “era driven humour” of the ads offer consumers a relatable touch point, while encouraging feelings of nostalgia.
“When we look around our homes we often say, ‘Wow, this kitchen hasn’t been updated since we moved in’ or ‘this bedroom hasn’t been painted since the kids were born,’” Robinson told Marketing.
“’We didn’t necessarily zero in on 1991 or 1986, but rather considered memorable cultural references that were entertaining, relatable, worked nationally and conjured a very specific timeframe in consumers’ minds.”
Robinson added that the campaign is primarily aimed at the DIY crowd, and along with the obvious goal of selling “a lot of paint,” it’s meant to drive traffic to the brand’s more than 250 stores across the country (it operates under the Betonel-Dulux banner in Quebec) and increase brand awareness.
“What year is your room stuck in?” runs until October. The same creative is running in Quebec. PHD Touché handled the media buy.
