Advised by Heroiks media agency Heroiks, French grocery retailer Coopérative U chose 366 to produce a bespoke study and media plan to communicate a cooperative status as part of a brand change. mind Media interviewed Agathe Callens and Constance Bodel, respectively Operations Director and Sales Director of 366 OPS division, to detail the project and results, with insights from Zaïna Bereksi (Coopérative U) and Tiffany Bouthry (Heroiks).
The context
Grocery retailers, which include Coopérative U, are among the leading advertisers in the local and regional French press. In 2025, Coopérative U (annual revenue : €28.35 billion, up by 5.3% year-on-year) had a double milestone: the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Système U (which became Coopérative U) and the recognition of “the Year of the Cooperative” by the United Nations. In a societal context of economic crisis, with French consumers being focused on purchasing power and consumption, Coopérative U felt the need for institutional and educational communication around a cooperative model. In January 2025, the retailer and a media agency, Heroiks, approached 366, the national and multi-local advertising network for the regional press, to focus on local communication.
The objectives
The retailer’s initial goal was to educate French people on what a cooperative model is.