What Would John Do?

So is the new Citroen DS3 ad good? It is musically sacriligeous? Is it cool, is it anti cool?

I'm not quite sure to be honest.

The message is nice, given our obsession as a nation of looking back and reliving our past in various guises. The sense of a car built to be the opposite of retro, against the faux-retro love in of the Fiat 500 and Mini (though I love the Abarth). Citroen doing what they have always done best and being provoking and unusual.

As Scroobius Pip says: 'The Beatles were just a band.' I love music, I can and will talk for days on the merits of genres and styles and tracks; but raising someone up on this pedestal where they are treated like a god is just weird. That said, the collective image and belief of an artist in the mind of the public is very much the same as how brands are an amalgam of views and opinions, no matter what truths we as marketers know or try to get across.

So is it right to use John Lennon in this way? Well I find it no more offensive than the Nike Instant Karma ads, no more so than Blackberry's All you need is love ad, no more so than the treatment of Elvis or Hendrix in tv shows and ads.

If his estate approved it who are we (with all the good intention in the world) to disapprove?

A nice ad, an interesting thought provoking message that is right on brand and spot on for the market. It also helps that the car is bloody mad, I love it.

La Deutsche

Thanks to Chimp for pointing this ad out for the Citroen C5.

What impresses me is that Euro RSCG and Citroen have gone for quite a brave position with this ad, one that could leave them open to criticism, but might also create a positive shift.

"Unmistakably German (Made in France)"

To openly acknowledge the qualities of your competitors, and in a sense be critical of your heritage within your message seems like a very bold move. I look forward to seeing the reaction this ad gets, but full marks to the agency and client for trying something new; especially in an age with plenty of dull car ads.