This brand didn’t let a PR crisis go to waste. Find out how!
| From the desk of Miles Everson: I’m excited to talk about another stunt in today’s edition of “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!” For those of you who may not know, guerrilla marketing is an out-of-the-box strategy that encourages marketers to make use of unconventional strategies when engaging with their target audience. I’m a fan of this strategy because it exemplifies just how impactful unconventional campaigns can be. For today’s case study, I’ll be putting the spotlight on a simple yet witty digital guerrilla marketing stunt Excited to know more? Keep reading below! |
The Louvre museum is one of the world’s most prestigious art museums. It was built over 200 years ago and is located along the right bank of the river Seine in France. It houses artworks such as the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, and other art pieces that hold immense cultural and historical value. As of 2023, the Louvre houses over 500,000 objects, and among its holdings are 35,000 works of art. The Louvre has continued to enjoy world renown, with tourists all over the world making trips to France just to visit the museum annually. Unfortunately, this art and cultural institution hasn’t been immune from controversies, the most recent of which occurred on October 19, 2025 after a group of thieves stole eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels worth approximately EUR 88 million. This heist took less than eight minutes to complete, with the thieves managing to enter and exit the museum without much difficulty. As of writing, charges have been filed against five suspects, but the whereabouts of the stolen jewels remains unknown. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end there… During the investigation and the subsequent security audit, a host of security lapses were discovered. Chief among them was the use of weak passwords. It was reported that the password that was utilized to access the museum’s security system was “Louvre.” It didn’t take long for this to go viral. Social media users made fun of the password. News publications even seized the moment by reporting highlighting the use of “Louvre” as a password in their respective reports. Simply said, the incident was nothing short of a national embarrassment. … but amid all the laughter and ridicule, Leroy Merlin , a French retailer, seized this moment and used it as a springboard for a memorable campaign. How did this play out? The Password Heist Leroy Merlin is a retailer that sells home improvement and gardening products in France and the rest of Europe. Coincidentally, CCTV cameras are among the products Leroy Merlin sells across its stores. … and since the Louvre’s theft had to do with security cameras, it made sense for Leroy Merlin to seize this moment. The best thing about this digital guerrilla marketing stunt? It was simple, inexpensive, and easy to deploy! Together with creative agency BETC Fullsix , Leroy Merlin pulled off “The Password Heist” campaign, a witty and humorous take on the Louvre museum heist. While bond investors are worried about Japan's debt levels today, the government is playing the long game. That’s not all! Leroy Merlin and BETC Fullsix drew eyeballs for this campaign by conducting a three-day social media campaign, inviting buyers to guess what the discount code is. In line with the Louvre’s security mishap, the campaign dropped obvious hints to consumers.
Image from Josie & Eze The Results? The campaign was simple and cheap to execute. Yet despite that, it managed to deliver great results:
Aside from those results, “The Password Heist” campaign managed to draw positive attention from the likes of D&AD . — By recognizing and taking advantage of a unique national moment, Leroy Merlin managed to generate buzz for its brand and boost its sales in one fell swoop. The thing is, unique moments like this are hard to come by. So, when something similar presents itself, take a page out of Leroy Merlin’s playbook and take advantage of it! Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how a subway installation in China changed the way people see and treat those with Alzheimer’s disease ? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
