Wickes - Using Data and Social to Elevate DIY into a Wellbeing Movement

Intro

In a category often plagued by negative consumer perceptions, we elevated DIY from a dreaded chore into a wellbeing movement through our #DIYISGOODFORYOU campaign. By combining neuroscience research with creator-led content, we developed a social strategy that not only challenged category avoidance but delivered measurable impact on brand perception and purchase intent, all while supporting mental and physical health.

The Challenge

DIY is regularly associated with negative perspectives and emotions. From feeling nervous while shopping for materials to being apprehensive about tackling tasks without expert assistance, or even disagreeing with partners over design choices – the benefits of DIY are often overshadowed by anxiety and stress.

Our challenge was threefold:

1. Expand Wickes' reach beyond traditional tradespeople with an essential wellbeing message
2. Make DIY more accessible through relatable, real-world examples
3. Shift consumer intent by captivating and inspiring audiences with social-first video content and data-supported insights

Insight

Our breakthrough came from commissioning original research. Collaborating with neuroscientist Dr. Jack Lewis, we conducted a comprehensive study with 1,500 UK participants to challenge misconceptions about DIY and explore its potential in reducing anxiety and stress.

The research yielded striking findings:

• 45% of participants reported feeling more relaxed while watching DIY footage
• 1 in 10 individuals admitted that listening to sounds associated with DIY helped them unwind
• DIY activities showed significant positive impacts on both mental and physical wellbeing

These insights revealed an untapped opportunity: aligning DIY with the increasingly popular ASMR-style content on social media that provides a strangely satisfying viewer experience.

Strategy

Our strategy leveraged three key pillars:

1. Audience Understanding. We identified household situation as a key factor in DIY engagement, with research indicating those aged 25+ were most receptive. Using IPA Touchpoints research, we targeted this demographic through Meta platforms, which ranked third highest in weekly reach among all adults.
2. Connected Voices Framework. While valuing the brand's authoritative voice, we adopted Meta's connected voices framework to communicate our message more effectively, incorporating creators who could bring authenticity to a sensitive topic and expand our reach into organic spaces.
3. Scientific Validation. We incorporated research findings throughout our content, backing emotional appeals with scientific evidence to strengthen our wellbeing proposition and add credibility to our message.

Execution, Solution and Innovation

We merged survey results with expert insights to develop video creatives that resonated on multiple levels:

1. ASMR-Inspired Content: Creating six videos incorporating satisfying DIY tasks that offered viewers a delightful moment to unwind, such as:
2. • Peeling tape to reveal perfectly painted straight edges
   • Smoothly plastering over wall cracks
   • Other visually and aurally satisfying DIY moments
2. Research-Backed Messaging. Integrating statistics from the survey alongside the content to emphasise the wellbeing benefits of DIY activities.
3. Innovative Testing Methodology. To evaluate the impact of the connected voices framework, we partnered with Meta to activate a multi-cell brand lift study with two distinct groups:
4. • Cell 1: Featured six branded videos
   • Cell 2: Included brand assets plus three videos by DIY content creators showcasing projects with Wickes products, statistics and personal anecdotes
4. Strategic Distribution. We implemented reach and frequency campaigns targeting 50% coverage of the UK 25+ audience at a frequency of 2 per week over a 5-week period, utilising multiple placements and customising assets across various platforms to maximise visibility.

Result and Business Effect

Our campaign delivered exceptional results across reach, engagement and brand metrics:

• Reached 16.2 million users with 75.9 million impressions
• Generated 5.9 million video views (3 seconds)
• Achieved significant brand lift with the connected voices approach, outperforming baseline content across all key metrics:
• • Increased brand awareness
  • +2.7 percentage point increase in message association
  • +2.2 percentage point improvement in purchase intent

Most notably, our connected voices approach outperformed both EMEA and Retail benchmarks on Meta, particularly in message association and intent - demonstrating the effectiveness of incorporating diverse and authentic voices to establish genuine connections with our audience.

The campaign went on to win the Best Use of Data and Research Award at the UK Social Media Awards.

By challenging negative perceptions about DIY with research-backed insights and authentic creator partnerships, we not only shifted brand metrics for Wickes but contributed positively to consumer wellbeing – proving that when marketing aligns with genuine human needs, commercial success follows.