Citroen highlights its `Teutonic' roots

by Antoinette Odoi, Marketing 25-Feb-08, 10:15

LONDON - French car brand Citroen's latest marketing initiative will emphasise the 'Teutonic' engineering credentials of its new C5 model.

The company is hoping that the new campaign will allow it to break into the upper mid-size car segment, which has traditionally been dominated by German cars such as the Volkswagen and Audi.

Citroen will spearhead its launch with a cinema ad playing on the nationality of its German competitors. The ad sees a German man pull up in front of the Brandenburg Gates in an unidentified car before the narrator introduces the campaign strapline, 'Unmistakably German', made in France'.

The 30-second ad, which was created by Euro RSCG, will premiere in cinemas later this month and will hit TV screens on 2 April. It is part of a wider integrated strategy worth in excess of £5m.

Citroen advertising manager, Jim Mather, said the new C5 provided the company with a real opportunity to challenge the dominance of the German marques.

Citroen is also to begin marketing activity to highlight that 23 of its models will be exempt from the congestion charge when legislation penalising vehicles emitting more than 120g/km is introduced in October.