Home Depot highlights its disaster relief in new documentary-style film

Home Depot is debuting its first documentary-style film to highlight the role it plays in helping communities through the many natural disasters that hit the U.S. This week, the Atlanta-based retailer will unveil a 17-minute work called “Hope Builds” showcasing the behind-the-scenes role it has played in recent decades. The video shows Home Depot associates and survivors talking about three major events—Hurricane Andrew in South Florida in 1992, the tornado that occurred in Joplin, Missouri, in 2011 and the Camp Fire in Paradise, California in 2018. The retailer conducted over 75 interviews with employees for the film, which took nearly a year to produce, according to Briar Waterman, senior director of creative design at Home Depot. “There is a series of consumers who maybe aren’t as familiar with understanding us as more than just a retailer, but as a real employer who cares for their employees,” said Waterman, noting the film will help with “understanding and contextualizing the people who are wearing the orange apron and the company behind them.” For example, millennials and younger consumers may not know Home Depot in the same context as their parents, he noted. The new direction continues Home Depot’s push into more authentic marketing. Last spring, the retailer highlighted its early risers, who arrive at stores before their 6 a.m. opening, in a campaign featuring actual customers. The new “Hope Builds” work follows in a similar vein. “Marketing has to expand to do brand work as well,” said Waterman. “We see this as a critical brand story for us and we consider it externalizing the internal.” Ad Age events Sign up for events and awards Learn more here To promote the film, Home Depot plans to run a 30-second trailer on broadcast TV. A slightly longer version (above) will run on digital channels. The retailer will also showcase the film by airing it in certain stores and promoting it with in-store signage and posters. Home Depot worked with its agency BBDO as well as Imagine Entertainment, a new relationship. The film's release comes amid more environmental turmoil—recent storms in California have caused flooding and evacuations. Earlier this week, the retailer announced an enhanced loyalty program for its professional contractors. Yet analysts have warned that amid the current economic climate, sales results could be uncertain. In November, Home Depot reported a third-quarter sales increase of 5.6%, to $38.9 billion, along with a comparable sales increase of 4.3%. “The industry has thus far broadly remained resilient, demonstrated by retail sales and Home Depot’s own comps, but traffic is declining,” wrote Cowen & Co. analyst Max Rakhlenko in a recent research report, warning of factors such as mortgage rates and housing prices on the home improvement sector.

Home Depot highlights its disaster relief in new documentary-style film

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