Eurovision Star Yuval Rafael Named New Brand Ambassador for Carrefour Israel
Eurovision star Yuval Rafael has signed a lucrative deal worth hundreds of thousands of shekels to become the new face of Carrefour Israel, marking a major shift in the retail chain's marketing strategy.
Yuval Rafael, Israel's representative for Eurovision 2025, has been chosen as the new brand ambassador for the Carrefour retail chain in a deal worth hundreds of thousands of shekels. According to Gil Mishali's report on Mako, three and a half years after launching its operations in Israel, the French grocery giant selected Rafael to lead its upcoming advertising campaign. Produced by the LEAD advertising agency, the campaign is set to launch soon across television and digital platforms. Industry estimates suggest the singer will earn hundreds of thousands of shekels, details confirmed by her agency, Yuli.
A New Marketing Strategy
Choosing Rafael marks a significant step up in Carrefour's advertising strategy in Israel. Over the past year, the chain gained traction by adopting the state-backed "Basket of the Nation" initiative, supported by a 25 million shekel marketing campaign by the Ministry of Economy to encourage retail competition, which previously featured Eli Yatzpan. Now, Carrefour is transitioning from government-backed competition messaging to independent brand investment, hiring the young singer to refresh its communication style and appeal to a broader, younger audience.
"Since October 7, all of us were reborn, much like a baby learning everything for the first time," Rafael shared in a recent emotional post.
From the Nova Festival to the Mainstream
Yuval Rafael is an Israeli singer-songwriter and a survivor of the Nova music festival, where she narrowly escaped after hiding in a shelter in Reim during the October 7 attacks. Following a rigorous mental recovery period, she burst into the public consciousness by winning the reality show The Next Star and representing Israel at Eurovision. Recently, she penned a touching post from the Reim disaster site to mark the passage of time since the tragedy.
Rafael described the small steps on her path to recovery, emphasizing that for a long period, her sole goal was to wake up in the morning and brush her teeth. "I learned that you don't have to be strong all the time. Thank you to this nation that showed me survival and how to rise from the broken pieces," she added. For Rafael, this partnership represents another major career milestone, cementing her status not only as a rising musical star but also as a sought-after commercial presenter with significant market appeal.
