Hornbach: Gothic Girl
Hornbach wanted to demonstrate how DIY projects could be more than just construction - they could be powerful, emotional statements of love and acceptance, connecting with customers on a deeper, personal level, showcasing the brand's commitment to individual expression.
Creative Idea
A father transformed his home to embrace his goth daughter's identity.
A father's DIY project transforms their home into a gothic sanctuary, powerfully demonstrating Hornbach's message that personal projects are profound expressions of unconditional love and acceptance for his daughter's unique identity.
Painting the Town Black in Ontario
A Canadian small town in disguise
While the film captures the quintessential atmosphere of a conservative European village, it was actually shot over three days in Beeton and Toronto, Canada. To achieve the iconic ending, the production team at Trigger Happy Productions didn't rely on digital effects; they actually painted the house matte black. This required a complex legal agreement with the homeowners in Beeton to ensure the property was restored to its original state after the shoot. Director Pep Bosch maintained a strict "no-smile" policy for the lead actress, insisting on a micro-smile to keep the ending grounded and authentic rather than sentimental.
The soul of the project
Creative lead Guido Heffels of Heimat, Berlin pushed for a "raw and genuine" tone, famously stating that the campaign was about the "soul of the project" rather than the price of paint. This approach resonated globally, garnering over 2.2 million views in its first two weeks and eventually surpassing 6 million views. The film’s impact extended beyond DIY metrics, seeing a 5-10% lift in brand preference and sparking deep cultural conversations on platforms like Reddit.
Frogs and subculture symbolism
The production utilized a White’s tree frog for the classroom scene because of its cooperative nature on set. Beyond the technical details, the ad gained unexpected significance within the Goth subculture. Many viewers linked the narrative to the real-life tragedy of Sophie Lancaster, leading to the film being adopted by advocacy groups as a powerful vision of parental support. The melancholic score by Antoni Saigi Abril provided the final layer to this "emotional profile," cementing Hornbach’s status as a brand that understands the human element of hardware.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Hornbach credibly delivers the means for deeply personal projects that express love and acceptance.
Category
DIY stores often focus on practical home improvement or generic aesthetic upgrades.
Customer
The audience wanted to feel understood and express their true selves through their environment.
Culture
A cultural shift towards embracing individuality and diverse identities made this message resonate.
Company
Hornbach credibly delivers the means for deeply personal projects that express love and acceptance.
Category
DIY stores often focus on practical home improvement or generic aesthetic upgrades.
Strategy:
Empower personal projects as profound expressions of love and acceptance.
Customer
The audience wanted to feel understood and express their true selves through their environment.
Culture
A cultural shift towards embracing individuality and diverse identities made this message resonate.
Strategy:
Empower personal projects as profound expressions of love and acceptance.
Strategy Technique
Find the Consumer Truth
The campaign taps into the universal human desire for acceptance and belonging, especially within family. It shows a father's project as a profound expression of this truth for his daughter.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Tell a story: Against social norms
The ad portrays a goth girl's struggle against societal expectations and norms. Her father's project defies these, creating a haven of acceptance and belonging.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its art direction and art direction, powerfully using visual contrast to tell an emotionally resonant story of self-expression. The music and acting elevate the narrative, making the protagonist's journey deeply felt.
The meticulous creation of contrasting visual worlds – the overwhelmingly cheerful, pastel suburb versus the protagonist's dark aesthetic and the eventual black house – is visually striking and effectively communicates the central theme.
The original choral music composition perfectly underpins the emotional journey, shifting from melancholic and isolated to majestic and empowering, guiding the viewer through the protagonist's transformation.
The emotional impact of this ad largely stems from the seamless synergy between the bold ideamaking, the contrasting visual art direction, the evocative musical score, and the understated yet powerful acting, all working in concert to tell a compelling story.
