When Placo® strengthens its position as the benchmark player on the painter's fillers market
« On est bleu mais on n’est pas des bleus »
A Saint-Gobain group brand since 2008, Optiroc is one of the major players in fillers for flawless surface preparation!
While its SERPO range of products for mechanical substrates enjoyed a very good image among its (often long-standing) customers, these customers were too few in number, and the brand struggled to find its place and stand out in an ever more crowded competitive environment.
BrandPlaco Saint-Gobain
SectorHousing / Interior fit-out
BusinessPlaster-based solutions – boards, renders, mortars
Website placo.fr
A few months ago, the Optiroc SERPO solutions moved under the Placo® brand. The goal: to grow its image, clarify its sales structure and appear more legible to customers. This rebranding helps cement the manufacturer's positioning as the benchmark player in interior fit-out.
Building on this new identity, the change of brand and packaging, Placo® called on the agency to maximise the impact of this launch with the painters' distribution network and painter-tradespeople.
A launch that raises multiple challenges
Given its low brand awareness, the announcement "Optiroc SERPO becomes Placo®" was only of real interest internally and to a few of the brand's long-standing customers. It could not be the foundation of the communications, the element on which we would base the narrative. With no product innovation or point of differentiation, it was impossible to find a concrete, useful hook for the targets. That left one solution: banking on the communication concept to strike hard and make a lasting impression!
On the other hand, Placo® has a strong image, a byword for quality and reliability on the interior fit-out market. Yet the brand was losing credibility on painter's fillers: a market where it is neither "legitimate" nor "expected". The challenge was therefore to craft a campaign that could demonstrate Placo®'s expertise on a market where the brand was not expected.
Expert but mischievous!
You can be serious without taking yourself too seriously! On a market whose codes remain highly traditional, where competitors' communications stay focused on technical matters, Placo® takes a different path and adopts a half-expert, half-mischievous stance to get its messages across. Returning to product reality, Placo® opts for a pragmatic, rational promise geared towards the benefits offered to painters.
« Après un bon ratissage, on n’est jamais contre un coup de girafe pour supprimer les sardines. »
By borrowing expert, humorous trade expressions that only painters can understand, the brand shows that it knows how to talk to them, that it knows their daily work, and that it speaks their language. In the end, nobody understands the campaign… except the painters!
« On est bleus mais on n’est pas des bleus »
Loosely translated: “we wear blue, but we're no rookies”. Placo®'s iconic colour, blue is a marker of difference from the competition. In the same breath, the brand reminds the market that its products are quality professional fillers and that it is every bit as legitimate as its competitors on this market.
After the story, time for activation!
Internal programme
To support the Placo® sales teams (on the front line), the brand provided them with keys to success in the form of understanding and demonstration tools (sales pitches, catalogue, product sheets, etc.). The goal: to reassure, unite and engage internally!To support the Placo® sales teams (on the front line), the brand provided them with keys to success in the form of understanding and demonstration tools (sales pitches, catalogue, product sheets, etc.). The goal: to reassure, unite and engage internally! media and influencer relations, etc.).
Going one step further…
The brand wanted to adapt its campaign for the consumer target and carry the new range of fillers into DIY superstores
Alongside the actions aimed at the professional target, the brand wanted to adapt its campaign for the consumer target and carry the new range of fillers into DIY superstores. Increasingly well informed and skilled, consumers now form a distinct target for the work they undertake themselves.
« Ensemble, on réussit ! » (“together, we succeed!”) is the message the brand and the agency are seeking to get across to consumers with this campaign. Placo® puts its expertise and solutions at the service of their projects' success and promises them they will soon be “talking like the pros”!
Our finest collaborations, told by the people who know them best
Working with Convergence makes a real difference on the various topics that concern us as a construction manufacturer. We don't need to train them — they already know the market.
Stefen W. Communications Officer
The Convergence teams supported us in defining and structuring our new range. They helped us design a universe, messages and tools perfectly suited to our target audience, to convey the key information clearly and powerfully.
Alexandre P. Product, Communications and Digital Manager
When the time came to unveil our new brand platform, Convergence found just the right words to create a clear, impactful identity for us. Clients and employees alike embraced it immediately.
Priscille T. Operational Marketing Manager
Convergence has supported us for 5 years, on one-off projects as much as on more strategic challenges. Their knowledge of the sector, of our clients and of our challenges is genuine added value, and our collaboration grows richer project after project.
Aurélie B. Client Marketing and Communications Manager
Convergence provides us with high-quality support, delivered by a responsive and fully committed team. Their excellent understanding of our challenges and specific needs, combined with their creativity and ability to deliver, is a real asset.
Eugénie C. Communications Manager
Beyond the support we receive throughout a project, what is particularly valuable when working with Convergence is the upstream phase: they take the time to analyse the environment and the target audiences, and to take a step back. That is very important for our strategic projects!
Nicolas B. Client Marketing and Training Manager
A great day-to-day collaboration: the team immediately understood the PUM universe, while bringing innovative ideas to the table. Special thanks to Véronique for the quality of our exchanges and her responsiveness, which make projects smooth and efficient.
Lea C. Commercial Communications Officer
Convergence imagined and delivered the tools best suited to the launch of our Elixair range, thanks to their knowledge of our sector, the quality of their work and their ability to push our thinking ever further. A true partnership of equals where we challenge each other to keep improving!
Katerina V. Global Communication Manager Pam Building
Convergence stands out for its agile, professional support, offering excellent expertise across all of our launch projects. Strategies are tailor-made to our objectives and communication is always transparent!
Juliette T. Communications Manager
Thanks to Convergence's expertise in the construction sector, we were able to move forward much faster, developing tools perfectly suited to the specific needs of our B2B audience.
Rami J. Marketing and Communications Director
Thank you for your support — a successful campaign on every level, with KPIs that put a big smile on our faces 🤩
Anaïs G. Digital Specialist
Working with Convergence means being able to put yourself in the hands of an enthusiastic, efficient team that understands our business challenges perfectly. Thank you for bringing our projects to life.
Alizée E. B2B2C Marketing Project Manager
A responsive, available and highly rigorous team, with solid expertise in the construction sector and consistently sound advice. Their creative approach gave our catalogue a real boost. A big thank you to the whole Convergence team for their commitment and the quality of this great collaboration.
Lauren C. Publishing Manager
Attentiveness, responsiveness, expertise and creativity are the words that best sum up our collaboration with Convergence. The agency has supported JELD-WEN in developing the brand for several years and has created a genuine campaign tone that quickly became the brand's signature.
Anne R. Marketing and Communications Manager
In CONVERGENCE we found much more than a marketing agency: a true strategic partner, able to understand our challenges, take ownership of our objectives and turn them into impactful campaigns, always delivered with professionalism, creativity and positive energy.
Nadine C. & Marion C. Marketing and Communications Officers
Convergence's specialisation makes all the difference! I particularly appreciate their responsiveness, their ability to listen and the thinking they bring to our projects. Their strategic and operational support makes for a valuable, effective collaboration.
Virginie Q. Operational Marketing & Communications Manager
Convergence has been able to adapt to our organisation and has become a genuine day-to-day support as a hyper-specialist in communication for the construction industry.
Maxime B. Communications, Marketing and Specification Manager
Since I arrived in the construction sector, working with Convergence has been a real asset. Their understanding of the market and its customers, their creativity and the quality of their support bring genuine added value to our campaigns. A trusted partner who is a pleasure to work with.
Valentine G. Marketing Manager
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