Citroën launches a new brand advertising campaign promoting the message “Our vision of mobility comes from your desire for freedom”. This new international film brings to life the CITROËN INSPIRED BY YOU brand signature – a brand inspired by ordinary people’s lives over the years and the desire for mobility for successive generations. The film transports viewers to different eras, in which various Citroën models tell the story of a hitchhiker’s desire for freedom. This adventurer becomes a passenger on board a 2CV, Type H, Méhari, CX, Visa GTi, New C3 Aircross, and New C4 Cactus hatchback, before he gets a glimpse of the future in the form of the CXPERIENCE concept car. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVfr5Olc0P4
From 2CV to CX, from Traction to Méhari, from Berlingo to New C4 Cactus, Citroën has spent years observing people and their desire for adventure, freedom, family trips and getaways, in order to offer them cars that are in tune with their lives. The new advertising campaign illustrates this history that dates back to 1919: “Our vision of mobility comes from your desire for freedom.”
To bring to life the ‘Inspired By You’ brand signature launched in October 2016, Citroën and Traction (BETC) agency developed a film that would transport its viewers to different eras, in which the brand’s models tell the story of a hitchhiker’s desire for freedom.
As the story unfolds, some of Citroën’s most iconic cars make starring appearances, including a 2CV, Type H, Méhari, CX, Visa GTi, New C3 Aircross, New C4 Cactus hatchback, and each car is set in its era. This journey through the decades is peppered with personal and collectively shared memories: the Tour de France, vacation with friends, horses that hark back to the ones from the ‘les chevrons sauvages’ (the wild chevrons) commercial, the 1980s summed up by a glinting gold chain and the radio volume on blast, and finally, the cars of today and tomorrow with CXPERIENCE, the concept car that points to the future of Citroën’s large hatchback.
Arnaud Belloni, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communication at Citroën commented;
“If Citroën has remained such a popular brand for nearly 100 years, it is because we have been inspired by the lives of ordinary people for generations: from the student in 2CV or C1, to the President of the Republic in CX or C6. Following the launch of the ‘Citroën Inspired By You’ brand signature less than two years ago, this new film showcases a few of the iconic cars that have shaped our heritage, without being a historical film. The brand has always been able to keenly observe people’s expectations for their vehicles and for mobility in general. This shared history also resonates with our current range, with its unique design and best-in-class comfort.”
To tell this epic story, whose main actor is not the driver but the passenger, the agency brought together a French director and cinematographer, both at the top of their field: François Rousselet (Nike, AXE, Diesel, as well as music videos for J.U.S.T.I.C.E and The Rolling Stones) and Stéphane Fontaine (The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Captain Fantastic, Jackie, etc.).
The images are accompanied by a timeless musical hit, “Take the long way home,” by Roger Hodgson, co-founder of Supertramp.
Filmed in the Sierra Nevada and Barcelona, Spain, and broadcast in 30, 45 and 60 second versions, as well as an extended 90-second digital version, the campaign kicks off in the UK today, Wednesday 04 April on the Citroën UK Facebook page: www.facebook.com/citroen.com
To watch the brand campaign video, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVfr5Olc0P4
FILMS AND PHOTOS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.citroencommunication-echange.com/
Username (caps): CAMPAGNE_2018
Password (caps): BRAND_18
THE CITROËN LOGOS OVER THE YEARS
1919 – 1921: In 1900, André Citroën bought and began to use a Polish patent for cutting gears in the form of chevrons. When he decided to pursue car manufacturing in 1919, he again used the double chevron, a symbol of his success. The first logo showed chevrons in shades of yellow on a blue background.
1921 – 1959: In 1921, the first version of the logo appeared. The oval was replaced by a hexagon against a blue background, in order to make the yellow chevrons stand out. In 1936, the Citroën name was also visible on the logo.
1932 – 1935: At the start of the 1930s, a parallel logo was introduced. It was a drawing of a swan floating on Citroën chevrons. This bird, a symbol of the new floating-power engine, was used as a hood ornament on certain Rosalie cars.
1959 – 1966: A new visual identity was unveiled by Citroën in 1959. The yellow chevrons remained present on the logo, now surpassing the outline of the white ellipse. Two colours of chevrons were made available; the first, in yellow for agents, and the second in gold for car dealers.
1966 – 1985: From 1966, the ellipse and the yellow chevrons were still present but were now set in a blue square with ‘Citroën’ written beneath the logo.
1985 – 2009: In 1985, the brand underwent a radical change. In order to modernise and rejuvenate its image, Citroën decided to use new colours. Blue and yellow were replaced by red and white, so that white chevrons were set in a red square.
2009 – 2016: In 2009, Citroën unveiled a completely new logo with rounded, 3D, metallic chevrons and the brand’s name written in red below. This approach followed the same strategy as the previous logo, aiming to create a more modernised image of the brand.
2016 – present: In 2016, Citroën introduced a new 2D version of the logo. Taking inspiration from flat design, this version of the logo sticks to the essentials in order to be more easily identifiable.
THE MODELS IN THE FILM CREDITS CAN BE FOUND AT ‘CITROËN ORIGINS’, THE BRAND’S ONLINE VIRTUAL MUSEUM: www.citroenorigins.fr
2CV: 1948 – 1990 : Upon its first noted appearance at the 1948 Paris Auto Show, 2CV was described as ‘four wheels under an umbrella’ that could ‘carry a basket of eggs across a field without breaking a single one’. The TPV (‘Très Petite Voiture’) was an instant hit on the market. 3,868,634 cars were manufactured.
Type H: 1948 – 1981: Known the world over and often revisited as a Food Truck in subsequent decades, Type H was a legendary car that demonstrated, over 40 years, the efficiency of its innovative design for a utility vehicle of the era. Throughout these glory years, 473,289 cars were manufactured.
Méhari: 1968 – 1987: Emblematic for its 100% plastic bodywork that was resistant to scratches and corrosion, Méhari was a highly popular convertible thanks to its utility and affordable price. 743,740 cars were manufactured.
CX: 1974 – 1991: Named Car of the Year in 1974, CX represents the Citroën high-end car during the 1970s. Particularly innovative, its creators were the forerunners of hands-free controls for drivers. 1,169,695 sales made in the space of 15 years.
Visa: 1978 – 1988: Visa was the small hatchback that made a big impression. Various special series and variants, in particular for sporting competitions, emphasised its notoriety. During its 10 years on the market, 1,254,390 units were manufactured. In 1988, its GTi version was the focus of a highly popular commercial that featured the aircraft carrier Clémenceau.
New C3 Aircross: since 2017: New C3 Aircross, presented for the first time at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, stands apart from other SUVs available on the market for its design, comfort and best-in-class modularity. A connected car equipped with 12 driver assistance technologies, New C3 Aircross has already notched up 60,000 sales in Europe.
New C4 Cactus hatchback: since 2018: New C4 Cactus is Citroën’s ultra-comfortable hatchback, the first in Europe to use the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions™ suspension system and first in the world to feature the Advanced Comfort seats.
CXPERIENCE: revealed in 2016: Presented at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the CXPERIENCE concept car reinterpreted the codes of the high-end hatchback and allowed Citroën to highlight its creativity in terms of design, comfort and technology.
