Over the eve of it's 85th anniversary, RONA kicks the year off with a bang
A new brand positioning that celebrates Canadians’ deep attachment to an iconic home improvement destination!
Boucherville, Québec, March 4, 2024 – On the eve of its 85th anniversary, RONA inc., one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers operating or servicing some 425 corporate and affiliated stores under different banners, mainly RONA, kicks the year off with a bang through an ambitious brand repositioning for its flagship banner: RONA. The iconic brand will go back to its roots, focusing on its entrepreneurial DNA and putting the RONA brand front and centre of all its marketing offensives. The creative platform launched will be deployed in a number of marketing initiatives, including an extensive advertising campaign, the expansion of the new RONA+ banner, a renewed visual identity for RONA affiliated dealers, and the launch of a new reality TV show in Québec.
“This is the most significant repositioning of the RONA brand in the last two decades. We’re refocusing our marketing around RONA, putting this brand, with its 85 years of history and consumer trust, at the core of our efforts. By emphasizing our commitment to our customers, the uniqueness of our stores, and our relationship with local communities, we reinforce the values of proximity and commitment that distinguish our network,” explains Catherine Laporte, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Customer Experience at RONA inc.
A major advertising campaign for RONA
Throughout its history, RONA has established itself as a trusted brand at the service of Canadians. Tapping into this heritage, a vast advertising campaign is being rolled out across the country on many platforms, including signage, television, radio, Internet, as well as print and social media.
RONA’s new advertising campaign, imagined by Sid Lee, is centred on people who love to create, bringing together professional experts and DIYers. Without being too serious, it adopts an engaging and entertaining tone, encouraging conversation while remaining refreshing and philosophical.
To watch the very first ad to be broadcasted as part of this campaign, click HERE.
RONA+ is expanding
On February 29, RONA reached an important milestone with the opening ceremonies of the last Lowe’s stores converted to the RONA+ banner, marking the sunset of the Lowe’s banner in Canada and the increased presence of the RONA brand in the country. Thanks to the success of RONA+, a pilot project will take place in Québec with the conversion of the Hull Réno-Dépôt to the RONA+ banner as a first step, followed by the Sherbrooke and Charlemagne Réno-Dépôt stores later this spring. This will pave the way for the imminent arrival of this new banner in Québec. Through this process, the company is looking to build on the strong legacy of the RONA brand and build momentum for this beloved Canadian-operated household name.
A new look for RONA affiliated dealers starting mid-April
A new visual identity, only for RONA affiliated dealers, was also announced at the end of 2023. It aims to support the organization’s ambition to become the strongest network of affiliated dealers in the country. The outdoor signage and the interior branding elements of these stores were redesigned to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit of independent RONA dealers and capitalize on the brand’s notoriety. The new identity will be deployed in RONA affiliated stores starting mid-April.
Home improvement in reality TV: Le grand chantier RONA is taking shape
Last November, RONA announced its return to Québec television with the reality show, Le grand chantier RONA, produced in partnership with Noovo and Zone3. Hosted by Marie-Lyne Joncas, with the collaboration of designer, Daniel Corbin, and contractor, Pierre-Olivier Cantin, this show is already shaping up to be Québec’s biggest home improvement competition and will air as of April 1, Monday to Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. (and no, it’s not an April Fool!). This original concept will pin 12 couples against each other over a ten-week period, as they complete a series of home improvement projects to win a brand-new, fully furnished home, worth $700,000.
To share this news on social media, please use @RONAcarrieres.careers (Facebook), @RONA (LinkedIn), and @RONAinc (X, formely Twitter).
About RONA inc.
RONA inc. is one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers and is headquartered in Boucherville, Québec. The RONA inc. network operates or services some 425 corporate and affiliated dealer stores under the RONA+, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick’s Lumber banners. With a long and rich history, RONA inc. has supported Canadians in their home improvement and construction projects since 1939. To achieve this, the company relies on a team of 22,000 employees, to whom it strives to provide an inclusive workplace where everyone is invited to contribute. RONA inc. is one of the Montréal region’s Top Employers since 2021. As a result of its ongoing efforts in sustainable development, the company is recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. To learn more about the company, visit the website www.ronainc.ca.