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.
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.