A heartwarming Christmas advertisement featuring a lonely wolf has proven so popular that French supermarket chain Intermarché is now cautioning customers against fraudulent online sales of merchandise related to the campaign. The ad, which quickly went viral with over 600 million views, depicts the wolf’s journey to acceptance and has fueled a surge in demand for a plush toy version of the character not yet officially released. Intermarché has reported at least one fraudulent website, le-mal-aime.fr, to authorities and is urging patience as it prepares for an official product launch, hoping to have the plush in stores before Christmas or in 2026.
Intermarché is warning customers about fraudulent sales of plush toys featuring the lovable wolf from its viral Christmas advertisement. The ad, which depicts a wolf learning to cook vegetables to gain acceptance from other forest animals, has captured hearts worldwide – and sparked a surge in demand for merchandise that isn’t yet officially available.
“Our Wolf plush is highly anticipated, but beware of scams!” Intermarché announced on social media. “For the past few days, websites have been offering the plush from our advertisement for sale. These sites have no connection with Intermarché, or with the studio that created the ad, and may lead to malicious transactions.”
Plush Toys Expected Before Christmas
The French supermarket chain is officially planning a release of the wolf plush, and is urging fans to be patient. “Intermarché will officially announce the release of the Wolf plush soon,” the company stated. A spokesperson told AFP that they hope to have the toys in stores before Christmas, but if not, they will be available in 2026.
Intermarché has already reported one fraudulent website, le-mal-aime.fr, to the authorities. The site was offering the plush for €14.90 with a promise of delivery before the holidays, and was using the supermarket’s logo. The unexpected popularity of the ad highlights the power of heartwarming content to resonate with audiences during the holiday season.
“Le Mal-aimé” Sees Streaming Boost
The advertisement’s success extends beyond plush toy demand. In just one week, the “Christmas tale” has garnered over 600 million views globally.
The spot, created by French animation studio Illogic Studios, features the wolf’s journey of acceptance set to a rendition of Claude François’s song, “Le Mal-aimé.” According to a company spokesperson, streams of the song have quadrupled since the ad’s launch. Listenership has increased by 217%.
“‘On a complètement perdu le contrôle de la situation’ [We’ve completely lost control of the situation],” said the head of the agency behind Intermarché’s Christmas ad, expressing delight at the spot’s incredible success. He also noted the ad was surprisingly inexpensive to produce. Intermarché is now moving forward with plans to produce the highly sought-after wolf plush.
