Leroy Merlin - There's still love somewhere - Ad Analysis

In a category often defined by price promotions and practical tutorials, Leroy Merlin’s “There’s Still Love Somewhere” opts for a much higher-order benefit: emotional and relational healing. It’s a confident, quiet piece of work that understands its role is not to sell a can of paint, but to sell the feeling you get after the painting is done.

The Core Insight: The ad is built on a simple, potent human truth: the state of our home is often a direct reflection of the state of our lives and relationships. A tired, neglected space mirrors a tired, neglected connection. This insight allows the brand to move beyond the functional act of renovation and into the emotional territory of renewal. By fixing the walls around them, the couple in the ad begins to fix the walls between them.

The Execution: The narrative follows a classic Setup-Turn-Payoff structure. The Setup (0:00-0:11) establishes the problem with painful quietness—a silent argument, a man relegated to the couch, a home steeped in cool, dim light. It’s a picture of stagnation. The Turn (0:12-0:15) is the ad’s most pivotal moment. The man peeling back the wallpaper to reveal a carved heart from 1998 is the catalyst. It’s a physical manifestation of their history and the love that’s been buried. This discovery of a shared past sparks the hope for a shared future. The Payoff (0:16-0:42) is a cathartic and joyful transformation. The couple doesn't just redecorate; they actively dismantle the old environment together. The final scenes, showing their renovated home with the original carved heart now framed as a piece of art, brings the story to a deeply satisfying conclusion. The tagline, “Taking care of your home is taking care of yourself,” provides the strategic anchor, elegantly summarizing the film's metaphor.

The Debrief: This ad is a powerful reminder that brands can, and should, aim for higher emotional ground, even in functional categories. The key learning is that a negative or tense setup can make a positive resolution feel far more earned and impactful than a story that starts and ends with a smile. By linking the brand to a profound human need—the need for connection and renewal—Leroy Merlin builds equity that a discount or a product demo never could.