Lowe's inks multi-year NFL partnership as it kicks off refresh campaign

Dive Brief:

Lowe's has signed an exclusive, multi-year deal to be the official home improvement retail sponsor of the NFL, according to news shared with Marketing Dive.
Under the partnership, the retail marketer gains access to NFL content on both the local and national level and during special events such as the Super Bowl, league draft and combine. Lowe's will additionally be the presenting sponsor of the Super Bowl Experience for Super Bowl LIV in Miami next year.
The news helps to kick off a broader brand overhaul for Lowe's, which next month will introduce a new campaign and tagline: "Do it right for less." The "Do It Right" push has a planned Feb. 1 rollout and will reach across TV, radio, digital, social and out-of-home (OOH).

Dive Insight:

Lowe's has timed the announcement of a big NFL deal and the rollout of a brand refresh campaign right ahead of Super Bowl LIII, and might be able to capitalize on some of the fan and media excitement heading into the showdown between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 3. In an effort to raise awareness, the brand is also running OOH billboards in Atlanta, the host city for the big game this year.

The tie-up and new campaign shows how Lowe's is trying to tweak its messaging to appeal to both expert DIY customers and home improvement newbies. Speaking to Ad Age, CMO Jocelyn Wong called the tone of the new campaign "grittier" than the work Lowe's has done in the past. The partnership marks a bit of a change-up for the NFL as well, which hasn't had an official home improvement sponsor since it ended its relationship with Home Depot a decade ago, per Ad Age.

Lowe's is vying to compete more closely with Home Depot, and media watchers have noticed how the "Do it right for less" tagline first unveiled late last year in some ways reflects Home Depot's of "More saving, more doing." Beyond the refreshed messaging, Lowe's is leveraging marketing and the new NFL sponsorship to support its more than 300,000 sales associates, according to the news release.

CEO Marvin Ellison, who joined the retailer from J.C. Penney last year and quickly shook up its leadership team, has called out the customer experience as a pain point for Lowe's, including during a talk at the NRF's Big Show last week. Like many in the retail category, Lowe's has also been battered by the rise of e-commerce competitors and general digital disruption. Under Ellison's stewardship, the company has recently moved to shutter the entirety of its Orchard Supply Hardware stores and operations in Mexico, per Retail Dive.