Rethinking influencer marketing with a fully performance-based always-on approach
Building a community of spontaneous and committed influencer ambassadors
Leroy Merlin is reinventing influencer marketing with a continuous, 100% performance-based model that involves almost no product gifting—only 9% of partners received a product during the campaign period.
The objective: turn creators who naturally share content about the brand into true brand ambassadors—engaged and compensated—to drive consistency and maximize impact.
This strategy was recognized with a Gold Award in the “Influence Marketing & Social Media” category and a Silver Award in the “Influence Marketing” category at the Cas d’OR Performance Marketing Awards.
Objectives and constraints
- Build a network of like-minded partners by recruiting engaged content creators through a fully performance-based (CPA) always-on model, focusing on long-term integrations for lasting impact
- Boost partner engagement and loyalty through regular communication, early access to exclusives (e.g., collaboration with Mathilde Cabanas), and strategic support during key moments
- Amplify high-traffic periods and support creators’ projects by increasing visibility and engagement through key activations and tailored incentives to re-engage top publishers
- Adopt a data-driven influencer strategy by attributing conversions—and thus commissions—to each share, incentivizing every touchpoint to generate measurable, incremental, and profitable growth
Affiliate marketing applied to influencer collaborations allows us to combine performance with authenticity. Thanks to Affilae’s technology, we can accurately measure the impact of our partnerships, both in terms of visibility and conversions.
This model provides a virtuous framework where all parties benefit: creators are rewarded based on their impact, and we, as a brand, invest in a more targeted and measurable way. We were pleasantly surprised by the performance from the very start of our program on Affilae, proving just how eagerly publishers had been awaiting Leroy Merlin’s arrival.
Beyond the results, it’s also an opportunity to build lasting relationships with partners who align with our values and community.
Working with Leroy Merlin feels like coming full circle. My brother worked there for five years, and I used to spend my weekends there—between browsing the aisles and family DIY projects. Today, managing their affiliate program is a real source of pride.
What I particularly appreciate is the trust Leroy Merlin places in us. I have full autonomy over the program: I can select the profiles I find relevant, which allows me to be truly proactive and strategic. Of course, this also requires close attention to budget management—a key factor for the long-term sustainability of the program.
Affiliate marketing is, above all, about people. In a program like this, relationships are everything. It’s not just about activating partners once and moving on: it’s about building real relationships, offering support, guidance, and genuine care. It takes time and commitment, but that’s what makes the difference.
I’m truly happy—and proud—of the results we’ve achieved: excellent ROI, a reassured and satisfied client, and, above all, the opportunity to continue building on a solid foundation. It’s incredibly motivating and rewarding to see our work deliver such strong outcomes.