Intermarché Drops the Gags for a Tearful Sunday Lunch — and a Quiet 'Buy French' Push
Updated: 6 days ago
France's Intermarché has swapped its trademark comedy for nostalgia in 'Ces dimanches-là', an emotional Sunday-lunch film that sells its 'Origine France' Terroirs range through pure brand-building.
A comedy brand changes register
Intermarché is known for humour, so its latest campaign is a deliberate surprise. 'Ces dimanches-là', created with agency Romance, trades the gags for an emotional film about long Sunday family meals, promoting the retailer's 'Terroirs' range of 'Origine France' products.
The work is signed off with the line, 'Il y a des choses qui changent, d'autres pas. Et c'est tant mieux' — 'Some things change, others don't. And that's just as well.' It is nostalgia used with purpose, not sentimentality for its own sake.
Why a tonal shift gets noticed
When a brand with a strong, consistent voice deliberately changes register, it creates its own news. Audiences who expect Intermarché to make them laugh are stopped by being made to feel something instead — the contrast is the attention-getter.
Directed by Katia Lewkowicz for Grand Bazar and scored with François de Roubaix's 1970s track 'Dernier domicile connu', with media by Zenith, the film has run since 4 October 2026 in 85-, 45- and 30-second cuts plus print and social.
Emotion in service of strategy
Crucially, the emotion isn't decoration — it is doing a strategic job. The warmth of a family Sunday lunch is used to sell French-origin food, tying a feeling (heritage, togetherness) to a commercial positioning ('buy French').
That matters because 'origin' and 'local' are powerful purchase drivers in French grocery. By wrapping the message in nostalgia rather than a hard sell, Intermarché makes a values-based claim feel like a shared memory instead of a marketing line.
What businesses should take from it
Emotional advertising works best when the feeling points at the product. Don't make people cry for the sake of it; make them feel something that leads straight to why your offer matters.
Marketing Minute's take: a well-timed change of tone can be a brand's sharpest tool. Intermarché earned attention by breaking its own pattern — and spent that attention on a clear commercial idea. Surprise plus strategy beats either on its own.
Quick FAQ
What is Intermarché's 'Ces dimanches-là' campaign?
An emotional film about Sunday family meals, by agency Romance, promoting the retailer's 'Terroirs' range of 'Origine France' products.
Why is it notable?
Intermarché is known for humour, so the shift to a nostalgic, emotional tone is a deliberate and attention-grabbing change of register.
When did it launch?
It has run since 4 October 2026 in 85-, 45- and 30-second cuts, plus print and social, with media by Zenith.
Intermarché is a funny brand, so going emotional is itself the headline — breaking your own pattern earns attention. But the smart part is that the nostalgia points straight at 'buy French'. Emotion only works when the feeling leads to the sale. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Break your own pattern to earn attention — then spend it on a clear idea.
If your brand suddenly changed its tone, would people stop and notice?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: J'ai un pote dans la com, La Réclame.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
