France’s Citroën Marque of Distinction
Founded by French industrialist Andre-Gustave Citroën in 1919, the Citroën manufacturing company has a proud automotive history of some notable state of the art achievements.
Their 1934 Traction Avant was the world’s first mass-produced front wheel drive car. It was also the first unibody automotive construction without a supporting chassis of mechanical components.
In 1954 Citroën produced the world’s first hydro-pneumatic, self-levelling suspension system, and their famous 1955 DS was the world’s first mass produced car with disc brakes. Innovative swivelling headlights followed in 1967, and various national, international, and European Car of the Year Awards which Citroën won three times.
1. Citroën, Inspired By You Since 1919
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Executive Creative Director: Stephane Xiberras
Creative Director: Nicolas Lautier
Art Director: Matthieu Vivinis
Copywriter: Jean-Romain Sparano
Agency Producer: Caroline Petruccelli
Production Company: Insurrection, Paris, France
Director of Photography: Stephane Fontaine
Music and Sound Design Studios: GUM, Paris, France
Directed by esteemed filmmaker Francois Rousselet, the ‘Inspired By You Since 1919’ commercial, depicts a hitchhiker’s time-travel through the automotive manufacturer’s 100 year old history.
Filmed on location in Sierra Nevada and Barcelona in Spain, the scenic and cinematic chronicle of the Citroën company’s iconic, and cultural impact on the freedom of travel, features a soundtrack of Supertramp’s “Take the long way home” chart-topper, by English musician, singer and songwriter, Rodger Hodgson.
2. Citroën ë-C3, Viva La Liberté
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Chief Creative Officer: Stephane Xiberras
Creative Director: Nicholas Bakshi
Copywriter: Matt Jones
Art Director: Abi Stephenson
Designer: Anthony Tavares
Production Companies: Very Content, Paris, and Stink, Paris, France
BETC agency’s film-scenario for Citroën’s ë-C3, takes aim at the exclusive domain of electric powered vehicles by the ultra-wealthy and the eco-virtuous, that have been priced beyond the reach of ordinary people, for way too long.
Masterly directed by esteemed filmmaker Fredrik Bond, the commercial’s excellently produced ‘French Revolution’ theme, delivers an entertaining pastiche of aristocracy and the haute bourgeoisie, that plays out to a soundtrack of David Bowie’s rebel anthem, “Suffragette City”.
On ‘The Stable’ website, Stephane Xiberras reported a comment by Federico Goyret, Citroën’s Vice President of Global Marketing & Communications, describing the new ë-C3 as; “A revolutionary product, offering accessible, high quality, electric mobility for everyone for the first time. This product deserved a catchy, high impact, visually stunning campaign, adorned with a fantastic soundtrack”.
3. Citroën Professional E-Range, The Ice Ballet
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Chief Creative Officer: Stephane Xiberras
Creative Director: Nicholas Bakshi
Copywriter: Nicolas Richard
Art Director: Romain Ducos
Production Company: Zauberberg, Berlin, Germany
VFX and Post Production Studios: b-Epic, Berlin, Germany
Music and Sound Design Studios: GUM, Paris, France
BETC Paris agency’s integrated advertising campaign, in support of Citroën’s new, fully-electric, ë-Berlingo, ë-Jumper, and ë-Jumpy, professional utility vehicle range, is spearheaded by a commercial masterly directed by filmmaker Max Malkin, and filmed on a dense expanse of ice in Helsinki, Finland.
Avoiding stereotypical depictions of doughty workmen in hard hats, the commercial features an agile Citroën utility vehicle owner, performing a highly entertaining ‘ice ballet’, in surrealist harmony with his ë-Berlingo ‘partner’, to the accompanying soundtrack of Joe Cocker’s resonant, “Up Where We Belong” love-song’.
4. Citroën Electric For All, Oh Happy Day
Advertising Agency: BETC/Traction, Paris, France
Executive Creative Director: Stéphane Xiberras
Creative Director: Nicolas Lautier
Art Director: Julien Schmitt Betc
Copywriter: Antoine Gauquelin
Production Company: Insurrection, Paris, France
Production Service Company: Garage Films, Barcelona, Spain
BETC Traction’s agency’s cinematic, 2020 launch campaign commercial, of the new Citroën C4, directed by filmmaker Thierry Poiraud, heralded an anthem to the freedom and motoring passion of Citroën’s innovative technology for over 100 years, with the song “Oh Happy Day”, sung by a gospel choir, and specially recorded for the commercial, at the legendary Saint Germain Studios in Paris.
5. Citroën C4 Grand Picasso, Winter Holiday
Advertising Agency: Les Gaulois, Paris, France
Production Company: Henry de Czar, Paris, France
Filmmaker Bart Timmer’s storytelling expertise comes to fore again in a commercial about a family happy to be on the road, to an eagerly awaited winter holiday, that turns out to be such a misadventure, that they can’t wait to be on the road again heading home, is an amusing scenario of how stressful family holiday’s can turn out to be.
That feeling of ‘enough is enough’, I just want to go home in the comfort of my C4 Grand Picasso, many families no doubt, will easily relate to with a knowing smile.
6. Citroën C4 Grand Picasso, Summer Holiday
Advertising Agency: Les Gaulois, Paris, France
Production Company: Henry de Czar, Paris, France
Following the same format as the winter holiday scenario, filmmaker Bart Timmer’s directional storytelling skills centres on a family’s summer holiday mishaps.
This time disappointments and stressful inconveniences that involves a rental villa shared with a couple of friends, once again reprises the family’s conclusion, that nothing would be more relaxing and comfortable, than getting back on the road with Citroën C4 SpaceTourer.