Here’s a depressing fact: for the first time ever, young people can’t afford to buy a home. The average age of home ownership is skewing older and older, from age 40 to 56, depending on who you ask. Millennials & Gen Z simply can’t afford to buy a home—why shop at a place called The Home Depot then? It’s a dad store.

The thing is, a home doesn’t have to be a free standing house with a white picket fence and property values. A rental can be a home, and just because you have to return it when your lease is over, shouldn’t limit your creativity; it can even expand your options. Have fun with it. Buck the trends. Buck the system. Buck the fear, uncertainty and doubt.

So how can we give this attitude a voice? What personifies this concept?

P.S. Want to see our pitch deck? You can find it here.

Meet Phil

The Bucket

Phil is The Home Depot’s official unofficial mascot, known for his appearances at baseball games, during March Madness, and painting fences alongside Shaq.

But why make a big fuss over a big bucket? Because, Zennials (the cohort of Millennials & Gen Z) appreciate a brand with a personality. It worked for Wendy’s, it worked for Duolingo, and it can definitely work for The Home Depot.

Phil teaches renters who feel trapped that it’s okay to say:

Buck It.

Now, let’s see how this idea came to life.

Organic & Paid Social

Our social strategy involved a mix of paid social posts through platforms like Instagram to introduce the new brand direction with DI-Why projects, alongside organic social posts on our official account to reinforce the messaging in an engaging, non-salesy way.

Paid Social

Organic Social

Phind Phil

Of course, we have to bring Phil into The Home Depot stores across the country with a hide-and-seek game, Phind Phil. Here’s how it works:

Phil posts a hint about where he’s hiding.

And, sure enough, there he is (in plushie form).

But wait, there’s more:

The Phil plushie isn’t the only prize available; you get a whole assortment of nifty stuff in our Swag Bucket, like tools, stickers, and even custom printed Home Improv magazines.

In Store & OOH

Buck It also works great as In-Store signage and for OOH advertising!

Credits & Kudos

Copywriter: Juan Cotté Mena

Art Direction & Design: Fang Yeh, Juan Cotté Mena

Strategy: Katherine Dowd

Project Management: Jillian Ball

Analytics: Sofia Gurruchaga

Media Planning: Quang Nguyen