Intermarché Extends Its 'Life Shouldn't Cost This Much' Saga With Four New Films
Updated: Sep 1
TL;DR: Intermarché and agency Romance added four absurdist new films to their long-running 'life shouldn't cost this much' saga, treating everyday groceries as luxury goods — a masterclass in sustaining a hit platform rather than reinventing it.
A hit platform, extended not replaced
Intermarché, the French supermarket, has rolled out four new comedic spots in its long-running saga "La vie ne devrait pas coûter aussi cher" ("life shouldn't cost this much"). Launched on 24 August 2026 across TV, online video and social, the new films treat everyday groceries — sliced bread, flan, yoghurt, pork ribs — as if they were luxury goods.
Created by agency Romance with director Katia Lewkowicz returning and production by Grand Bazar, the campaign now runs to 18 films. This is a platform being extended, not a brand chasing the next new idea every season.
Why consistency is the strategy
The saga was named France's favourite advertising campaign by Ipsos in 2024 — hard evidence that consistency builds affection. Rather than reinvent, Intermarché is compounding a recognisable comedic device that audiences already know and enjoy.
The value and anti-inflation positioning is culturally resonant in a cost-of-living era, and the absurdist treatment keeps a serious subject entertaining rather than preachy. That balance is why the platform keeps working.
Marketing Minute's read: the discipline of not reinventing
Our take: the hardest thing in marketing isn't creating a good campaign — it's resisting the urge to replace it once it works. Most brands abandon strong platforms out of internal boredom long before audiences tire of them. Intermarché's willingness to add a 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th film is the discipline that builds mental availability.
Distinctive assets compound only with repetition. Every film in the saga reinforces the same idea and comedic codes, making the brand easier to recognise and recall — the opposite of starting from zero each year.
What businesses should take from it
When a platform is working, extend it. Novelty is usually for the marketing team's benefit, not the customer's; consistency is what builds memory structures.
Anchor your platform to a real, enduring tension — here, the cost of living. A durable idea needs a durable human truth beneath it, so it can generate fresh executions for years.
Quick FAQ
What is Intermarché's 'life shouldn't cost this much' campaign?
It's a long-running Intermarché saga by agency Romance treating everyday groceries as luxury goods to satirise the cost of living. Four new films launched on 24 August 2026, bringing the saga to 18 films.
Why does Intermarché keep extending the same campaign?
The platform was named France's favourite ad campaign by Ipsos in 2024. Consistency builds affection and recognition, so Intermarché extends the hit rather than reinventing it each season.
Who makes the campaign?
Agency Romance, with director Katia Lewkowicz and production by Grand Bazar.
The hardest discipline in marketing is refusing to replace a campaign that still works. Brands usually kill strong platforms out of boredom long before audiences tire of them. Intermarché keeps adding films to a saga France already loves — that patience is exactly how distinctive assets compound. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Novelty usually serves the marketing team, not the customer — when a platform works, the disciplined move is to extend it.
Are you reinventing your marketing because customers need it, or because your team is bored of it?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: La Réclame, Stratégies, Dans Ta Pub.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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