A billion views for an anime wolf who learns to cook vegetables. The Intermarche advertisement has exploded all the counters and moved the whole world. But beyond the buzz, this audiovisual production offers concrete lessons for any company that wants to create significant video content. Emotional storytelling, choice of animation rather than real, nostalgic music, narrative rhythm mastery: we analyze what worked and what you can remember for your own productions.
A billion views. You read that right. A small animated wolf who learns to cook vegetables to make friends has exploded all the counters. And while the whole world cries in front of its screen on the notes of Claude François, we ask ourselves the real question: what does this audiovisual production teach us about the creation of video content that really marks the minds?
Because let's be honest. Intermarché did not invent the wheel. Emotional storytelling, cute animals, nostalgic music... all of this has been around for decades. But this campaign has something different. Something worth dwelling on, especially if you’re a B2B company looking to create videos that drive real results.
The story behind the buzz: a creative bet against the current
December 2025. The big brands are pulling out their Christmas campaigns. Coca-Cola relies on artificial intelligence. McDonald’s does the same. And then comes Intermarché with a short film of two and a half minutes, entirely made by hand by human artists.
The pitch is simple. A wolf, the famous “big bad wolf” of our childhood, finds himself alone because all the animals in the forest flee him. Normal: He eats them. A hedgehog suggested that he change his diet. To eat carrots, mushrooms, vegetables. The wolf runs, learns to cook, and ends up being accepted at the Christmas banquet.
On paper, nothing revolutionary. In execution, everything is different. This audiovisual production is based on a work of more than a year, coordinated by the agency Romance and directed by the Montpellier studio Illogic Studios, the same who was nominated for an Oscar for his short film “Garden Party”.
What this audiovisual production reveals about creative crafts
Seventy people worked on this project. From initial storyboarding to final compositing, character design, animation, textures and lights. Six months of pure production, not counting the design phases.
And the most striking thing in all this? The use of artificial intelligence has been deliberately marginal, almost non-existent. Illogic Studios teams used Houdini software and the “painterly” technique of painting in 2D over 3D animations, as with a brush. All the drawings were made and painted by humans, in a traditional way.
This choice of audiovisual production is not trivial. At a time when global giants are saturating screens with AI-generated content, Intermarché has made the opposite bet: authenticity and artisanal know-how. And the result speaks for itself.
Behind the scenes of a production made in France
The organization of the project deserves attention. The overall coordination was provided by the Parisian studio Wizz. The real-life parts, the family scenes around the tree were filmed by the director Nadège Loiseau via Divine Production. Fred Testot lent his voice to the wolf character, adding an extra dimension to the attachment that the viewer feels.
This network of French talents perfectly illustrates what a well-orchestrated audiovisual production can accomplish. Each link in the chain brings its expertise, sensitivity and know-how. The result transcends the sum of the parts.
Technology at the service of emotion
The visual rendering of the film borrows from what is called the “painterly” effect. This technique, which has become a reference since the success of the Arcane series (also produced by a Montpellier studio, Fortiche), gives the impression that each image has been painted by hand.
The result? An aesthetic that breathes. Who lives. Who doesn’t look like those smooth, disembodied productions you see everywhere. This approach to audiovisual production creates a sense of closeness to the viewer. You can feel the human work behind each frame.
Storytelling as a Virality Engine
The strength of this campaign lies not only in its technical quality. It is mainly related to its narrative structure. The film does not sell vegetables. It tells a story of personal transformation, acceptance, living together.
The wolf is the one who is rejected because of what he is. Not because of what he does voluntarily, but because of his nature. And this is where the narrative becomes universal: we have all, at some point, felt this feeling of being sidelined.
The musical choice amplifies this emotion. Claude François’s “Le Mal-Aimé” fits perfectly into the skin of this lone wolf. Words resonate with history. Music acts as an emotional catalyst, turning a simple advertisement into a real short film.
A tale that does not moralize
What distinguishes this audiovisual production from the usual campaigns on food is its total lack of moralization. Intermarché does not say “stop eating meat”. The message is more subtle: “we all have a good reason to start eating better.”
No injunction. No guilt. Just a sweet invitation, wrapped in a fable that touches the heart. The spectator is not asked to change his habits. He is simply invited to think about it, at his own pace, without pressure. And it is precisely for this reason that the film has crossed French borders to conquer the whole world, from the British Daily Mail to American social networks.
Lessons for B2B companies
So, what can we learn from this case study for our own video productions? Several things.
First, investment in quality pays off. Wyzowl (2025) confirms that 96% of people who watched an explanatory video were influenced in their purchase decision. A year of painstaking work, seventy people mobilized, an Oscar-nominated studio. Intermarché did not do things by half. And the return on investment is phenomenal: global visibility, massive commitment, a positive and lasting association with the brand.
Second, the long format is not dead. Two thirty minutes for an advertisement is an eternity in our time of fragmented attention. Yet, people have looked to the end. Because history held them. Because the story was strong enough to sustain attention. This duration makes it possible to develop characters, to create a real narrative arc, to let the emotion settle gradually.
Third: emotion transcends the industry. Intermarché sells food products. Not really the “sexiest” area in the world. And yet, this audiovisual production has moved millions of people around the world.
The human being at the center of creation
The deliberate choice to limit the use of AI sends a strong signal. In a world where technology can do almost anything, brands that dare human craftsmanship stand out. This positioning resonates particularly with an audience tired of generic content and soulless visuals produced on the chain.
For us who support B2B companies in their Video StrategyThis finding is valuable. Our clients: consulting firms, tech startups, service companies seek to differentiate themselves. “Handmade” audiovisual production, carefully thought out, can become a real competitive advantage.
Audiovisual production as a vector of narrative transformation
This Intermarché campaign illustrates a paradigm shift. Advertising is no longer just about selling. She's talking. It transforms. She creates a link.
The vegetarian wolf is not just a cute character. It is a symbol. The ability to change, to evolve, to adapt to live better together. And this message, carried by a high-quality audiovisual production, touches a universal chord.
Analysts talk about the “ecology of desire” rather than the ecology of constraint. Rather than blaming consumers, the film makes them want to change. It is subtle. It is effective. And that’s exactly what any video content strategy should aim for.
From Virality to Brand Authority
The buzz is not enough. What really matters is what’s left. And there, Intermarché scored points. The brand is now associated with quality audiovisual production, a positive message, a creative approach.
Even Michel-Édouard Leclerc, a direct competitor, publicly praised the performance on his blog. When your competitors applaud your work, it’s because you’ve done something right.
Create videos that generate concrete results
We often tell our customers that our goal is not to make “beautiful videos” for fun. It’s about creating videos that work. Which generate brand awareness, credibility, leads.
The vegetarian wolf campaign proves that these two dimensions are not incompatible. We can create an artistically ambitious and commercially effective audiovisual production. One strengthens the other.
The secret lies in alignment. Alignment between message and execution. Between promise and proof. Between what the brand says and what it does. When everything is consistent, the magic happens.
The real lesson of this Intermarché campaign, finally, is this: in a world saturated with content, authenticity and care for audiovisual production become major differentiators. Brands that invest in true stories, driven by human know-how, reap much more than a fleeting virality. They build lasting authority. As pointed out ForbesBrands that invest in authentic video storytelling see their memorability increase significantly. And it’s worth all the billions of views in the world.
