Lowe's Canada's Latest Recruitment Campaign is Based on Fails

In an effort to attract young recruits in the midst of a labour shortage, Lowe’s Canada is launching a recruitment campaign called Make Yourself Failproof, supported by an exhibition called The Hall of Fail. Created in collaboration with creative agency Sid Lee, the exhibition presents renovation fails recreated as works of art. 

With one million job vacancies in Canada since the third quarter of 2021,* Lowe’s Canada intends to recruit some 5,000 new employees this year. Through this campaign, the company hopes to set itself apart from other employers by focusing on opportunities for growth and learning within its network. 

“Training is a priority for us, so we make sure to offer comprehensive training to everyone who joins our teams,” says Nadine Chiasson, director, talent acquisition at Lowe’s Canada. “Working in one of our stores is a great opportunity for people to gain knowledge that will benefit them all their lives. Sid Lee has captured this notion well through these creative and impactful activations.” 

A research by Sid Lee shows that most (88%) of Gen Z students want to work for employers who give them access to training and growth opportunities. This campaign and exhibition tap into this desire to learn by providing examples of renovation fails that young people could avoid if they worked at Lowe’s, RONA or Réno-Dépôt. Each of the works in the exhibition has a QR code for applying directly for the various positions to be filled. 

“With the exceptional labour shortage currently being experienced, we really wanted to help our client stand out from the competition by combining our creative strategy with the Lowe’s Canada employer brand focused on growth and learning,” explains Brian Gill, creative director at Sid Lee. “We have also observed a growing interest among young people in home renovation, hence the rationale for this training-focused campaign with a self-deprecating tone, which is commonly used by this segment on TikTok and Instagram,” adds Joëlle Laferrière, creative copywriter at Sid Lee. 

The campaign will run until April 4th, 2022, and encompasses out-of-home plus Web and social media content.