The DIYctionary

Rona

An Exercise in Reno-Linguistics

At Sid Lee, we believe the best experiences are the ones that are authentic. For RONA, a brand deeply rooted in Quebec, this meant connecting with the reality of its customers, right down to the way they talk.

Translating Hardware into Québécois

The insight was simple: a cultural and linguistic gap separated the way Quebecers talk about renovation from the technical terminology used on the RONA website. When looking for a “tackeuse,” a “zigouilleur,” or a “tempo,” it was often impossible for users to find the product without knowing its exact technical term. So we closed the gap by embracing local slang and improving the online shopping experience.

A Revolution from Within

Instead of a full redesign, we took a smarter route by upgrading the website’s backend. At the core of the project was a custom search engine built to understand everyday language and connect it to the right technical products.

To get there, we broke the work down into three phases:

  • Data Analysis: We analyzed RONA's vast product catalogue, as well as consumer search data, to identify terms that were generating few or no results.
  • Field Research: We went to the source. By conducting interviews with construction professionals, DIYers, and the general public, we gathered a complete lexicon of regional expressions and renovation slang.
  • Technical Integration: The biggest challenge was to permanently integrate over 225 regional terms into a new, complex search engine, while ensuring multi-level automated indexing.

An Instant Connection

The response was immediate. Piqued by curiosity, Quebecers flocked to the site to put the DIYctionary to the test. Terms like “zigouilleur,” “plywood,” “césar,” and “tempo,” featured in our ad campaign, became the most searched-for words. In addition to generating significant additional traffic, the initiative sparked conversation and proved that RONA doesn't just sell tools,it also understands the reality of the people who use them.

Impact

5.3M organic impressions

+125% website traffic

22K new website searches