Leading Advertisers: Part3. Renault

The third focus for our Leading Advertisers serial is Renault.Renault: French fancyRenault stands out from the crowd in terms of its advertising. In typical French fashion they are nationalistic and place a lot of emphasis on their home country.They love a long-running series, they love French footballers and they love a good catch phrase.Papa and Nicole: The father and daughter team featured in eight adverts in eight years and this particular series of ads is regarded by many as the best ever, but we’re not sure why.Not a lot happens, there’s only four words ever uttered on screen and shockingly Renault persists in mentioning and referring to its ever popular supermini. But for some reason it seemed to work.The unlikely duo of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer also made an appearance in the final episode and again we don’t know why.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwqEpwO-5PEIt just works.Va Va Voom: “Eh Bobby, what is the French for Va Va Voom?"Quite frankly Thierry we’re not bothered, just say it again.Thierry Henry, pre-Gaelic incitement, was one of those people we all had a grudging admiration for. As the old adage goes, men wanted to be him and women wanted him, and this advert is testament to that.Again, in true Papa and Nicole style, nothing really happens. He tells us one thing has va va voom and then that another doesn’t, or he plays drums in a jazz band. Talented bugger.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJuWDsJkYLc&feature=relatedAnd like a lot of Renault adverts, it benefits from a funky piece of music.Eric Cantona Laguna: Perceptions change, sometimes quite dramatically and this advert is testament to that.Unfortunately for Renault they don’t about the mediocre hatchback but instead the other subject of its advert; everyone’s new favourite Eric.Roll back 15 years and there wasn’t many admirers outside of Old Trafford for the French football genius but now everyone loves him. We do anyway.He doesn’t offer a lot other than being Eric Cantona either, it’s not always easy to make out what the man is saying (See what Askaprice.com thinks is an attempt to say “world wide web") but it is entertaining to watch.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tJVcon5rGAFrench car-British designers: In typical Renault style, this series of adverts develops a pretty weak or at best obvious theme but it benefits somewhat from an attractive pair of protagonists.A true symbol of sexual equality is one reading of the advert, but in all honesty it doesn’t transcend too many prejudices and instead plays on one: Anglo-French relations.Highly watchable and Britain wins. Like Waterloo 1815.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJzSswlcrCo&feature=relatedGisburn-Megane: Askaprice.com loves Claude from Menton, unlike a lot of the residents of Lancashire village Gisburn.This advert courted controversy as soon as it was debuted. However it is obviously not malicious and far more humorous than that reaction gives it credit for.The advert and Claude have actually done rather a lot for Gisburn. Initially Renault donated £6,000 and also induced a couple of changes, including the addition of a deli and a potential twinning with Menton of the Cote d’Azur.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gs5zjAj5wMKeyless entry-Megane: Unfortunately this advert was only aired in France but it’s definitely worth a watch.The poor man longs for a car with keyless entry and after watching you can see why.A clever advert that succinctly outlines the benefits of keyless entry.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM2MMcLC0pU