RONA Revitalizes Marketing Efforts
RONA, the hardware store chain that has long been an advertising ally of the Montreal Canadiens, is revitalizing its marketing efforts as the team enters the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The brand’s catchy campaign titled ‘Mike Chez RONA’ has become iconic, to the point where many Quebec residents associate the Knacks’ hit ‘My Sharona’ with RONA’s jingle. On March 26, as part of their promotional strategy, fans received a special Mike Chez RONA bobblehead during a game at the Bell Centre.
Enhancing Previous Initiatives
This season, RONA is enhancing its previous marketing initiative “RONA on touche du bois” (Freely translated as “RONA, we touch wood”). Last year, the company brought a large stack of wood, which they sell, to the venue encouraging fans to touch it for good luck. This time, RONA is bringing a piece of history into the mix—the actual stick used by former Canadiens player Patrice Brisebois during the 1993 playoffs. Starting this Friday, coinciding with the team’s first home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the stick will be available for fans to touch near the Bell Centre as a charm for fortune.
Engaging with Fans
A RONA spokesperson recently appeared on TVA’s morning program Salut Bonjour, where they detailed how the company plans to surprise gatherings of fans with opportunities to interact with Brisebois’ stick in hopes of propelling the team to victory. This campaign taps into the deeply-rooted superstitions within the hockey community, a strategy likely to generate buzz for RONA.
Montreal’s Unique Playoff Culture
This fervor around the Canadiens is indicative of Montreal’s unique playoff culture—last week, former NHL player turned radio host Georges Laraque organized a peculiar event where fans ascended the stairs of the St-Joseph Oratory on their knees, a gesture intended to invoke good fortune for the team. Historically, during the 1993 Stanley Cup run, coach Jacques Demers famously made a pilgrimage to the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, where subsequent wins against the Quebec Nordiques cemented the Habs’ legacy.
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