Home improvement is one of the most commented-on categories in social media, yet for most brands, those comments function as a customer service backlog rather than a brand-building opportunity. In 2025, Lowe’s set out to challenge that norm.
Our objective was to transform social engagement from reactive support into a community experience built to support, celebrate, and show up. We believed the comment section could be more than a place to respond. It could be a space where people felt listened to, encouraged, and supported, like a neighbor’s front porch.
Specifically, we aimed to:
- Be the most helpful brand in the feed
- Invite new creators into our new Lowe’s Creator community
- Turn everyday mentions into moments of connection and recognition
- Show up consistently to make Lowe’s feel present, helpful, and human in the comments section
The result was the Lowe’s Digital Front Porch, a community-first engagement model designed to meet people where they already were and respond like a real human would.
1. The Most Helpful Brand in the Feed
Helpfulness has always defined Lowe’s. In 2025, we extended that promise across our social presence. Instead of treating comments as tickets to close, we treated them as relationships to build. Every mention, tag, and DM was handled by trained humans using the same tone customers expect from in-store associates: warm, knowledgeable, and solution-oriented. This approach reshaped how we staffed, prioritized, and showed up across platforms. We didn’t just provide answers — we provided value, encouragement, and connection at scale.
2. Flipping the Creator Funnel
In 2025, we launched the Lowe’s Creator Network, the first creator program in the home improvement category. Rather than relying on traditional rosters or influencer databases, our community management team invited creators directly from comments, tags, and DMs — engaging fans already talking about Lowe’s.
From these interactions, we invited thousands of creators. The network grew to 26,000 in its first year, many of whom had never worked with a brand before. This flipped the traditional model and made the program feel earned, not bought — transforming engagement into a creator pipeline built on trust and community.
3. Amplifying Viral Moments and Product Discovery
Some of our most powerful storytelling didn’t start with us. It started in the comments.
When a beloved Lowe’s cat named Francine went missing from her home store in Richmond, Virginia, fans rallied to find her. They organized a grassroots effort, tagged locations, and flooded the comments with updates. Our team leaned in, shared information in real time, and helped turn what could have been a quiet local moment into a viral rescue celebration. Francine’s story became a symbol of how Lowe’s shows up with heart and earned national headlines.
We applied the same mindset to product trends. Our viral Mini Buckets moment began as a fan mention and quickly became a cultural flashpoint, with customers sharing memes, hacks, and projects. We didn’t manufacture the moment — we amplified it. These weren’t one-offs, but proof that listening with care leads to culture-making outcomes.
4. Surprise and Delight for Lowe’s Fans
We intentionally rewarded authenticity over follower count. Through surprise-and-delight moments — from celebrating #DogsOfLowes to spotlighting loyal DIYers — we turned unexpected tags into brand-defining interactions.
Each gift was personalized, from red vests for dogs to DIY kits for kids and branded tools for fans. More than half of these moments led to follow-up UGC, and hundreds became long-term creator relationships, helping fans feel recognized and part of something bigger.
5. Choosing Positivity as a Platform Strategy
Especially on TikTok, we made a deliberate choice not to chase snark or trend-jacking. Instead, we leaned into encouragement, humor, and kindness — sometimes with nothing more than a reply or emoji. These small, human touches helped Lowe’s stand out in a space often dominated by irony and one-liners.
To support this work at scale, we built real-time listening workflows using Archive and Tubular, enabling us to surface UGC, identify product trends, and respond quickly across platforms.
The Digital Front Porch didn’t just increase engagement. It changed how people experienced Lowe’s in their feeds.
Community Impact
- 13 billion earned social reach (58% year over year)
- 785 million earned engagements (1,769% year over year)
- 733,000 brand mentions (5% year over year)
- $102 million estimated earned media value (58% year over year)
- 300,000+ direct customer interactions across platforms
Cultural & Business Impact
-26,000 new creators joined the program in its first year and 18% of creators were invited directly through social engagement.
- The total conversation around location + finding Francine generated 1.8M earned engagements and a 37-point shift to net-positive sentiment
- Our Mini Buckets moment drove 12 million UGC video views and 70 million UVM in press coverage across Today.com, New York Post, Yahoo, HGTV, and Parade
- 44 products were pushed into culture through organic community engagement, generating 353 million total views; Social-driven product discovery now represents a growing share of Lowe’s overall social performance
By treating social engagement as a front porch instead of a hotline, Lowe’s earned a place in culture through real-time listening, human interaction, and genuine care. We didn’t just respond to comments. We built a community people want to return to.
