DIYictonary

Client: RONA

On the eve of its 85th anniversary, RONA faced a defining moment. After years of foreign ownership, the brand had lost some of its cultural closeness with Québec. When Lowe’s exited in 2023, it created a rare opportunity to rebuild trust and reaffirm RONA as a proudly Québec-rooted company.

The mandate was clear: reignite affinity with French Canadian DIYers by reconnecting with their language and lived experience. In Québec, renovation culture has its own vocabulary, shaped by slang, Frenglish, and jobsite shorthand, that traditional retail and SEO conventions often overlook. Industry terminology failed to reflect how Quebecers actually search, speak, and build. RONA responded by launching the DIYctionary, a comprehensive linguistic overhaul integrating over 150 locally used expressions into its website and search ecosystem, while maintaining formal French equivalents. This effort extended beyond owned platforms into paid search and sparked a province-wide conversation through broadcast, digital, and social activation. To cement cultural relevance, the campaign tapped into a defining Québec moment during a Montréal Canadiens matchup, transforming language into a symbol of pride. The initiative repositioned RONA not just as a retailer, but as a brand that speaks, and belongs to, Québec.