[Citroën Ads] When the Citroën CX became a “Wild Beauty”: the story of a cult ad

Following our journey back in time to rediscover the daring commercial for the Citroën Visa launching from an aircraft carrier, let’s continue our chronicle of the campaigns that have marked Citroën's history. Today, we delve into another icon of the 1980s, the Citroën CX. A stately and comfortable grand tourer, it treated itself to a memorable moment of madness in 1985 to promote its powerful GTi Turbo version. Its muse? An androgynous, provocative artist at the pinnacle of her fame: Grace Jones. Orchestrated by advertising guru Jacques Séguéla and director Jean-Paul Goude, this collaboration gave birth to an advertising film that left an indelible mark on the collective imagination.

The genesis of an unconventional advertisement

In the mid-1980s, the Citroën CX, launched in 1974 and voted Car of the Year in 1975, was beginning to show its age. Faced with rejuvenated competition, notably the Renault 25, Citroën had to react to revitalize the image of its large sedan. The 1985 restyling, which gave birth to the CX Series 2, was accompanied by the introduction of the GTi Turbo version, a powerhouse for its time with a top speed of 220 km/h. To make a lasting impression, Jacques Séguéla's agency, RSCG, decided to break with traditional automotive codes. The idea was no longer just to praise the hydraulic comfort or the spacious interior, but to symbolize the performance and wildness of the new engine.

The choice fell on an explosive collaboration: that of Jean-Paul Goude, a visionary photographer and director, and his muse, Grace Jones. A complete artist, she fascinated with her sculptural physique, deep voice, and avant-garde style. She embodied an aggressive modernity and raw power that echoed the CX GTi Turbo. The commercial, nearly a minute long, is a true short film. In a surreal desert landscape, a monumental, robotic head of Grace Jones opens to release a Citroën CX, launched at full speed. The car cuts through the sand, skids with an unlikely screech of tires on this surface, and then comes to a stop… right inside the metallic mouth, which closes behind it. The slogan, delivered by the artist's voice, sums up the spirit of the campaign: "La beauté sauvage" (The Savage Beauty). When broadcast, the ad shocked, fascinated, and caused a scandal, to the point of being banned in several European countries like Switzerland and Germany, which deemed the promotion of speed too dangerous. Citroën's and RSCG's objective was achieved: no one remained indifferent.

A masterstroke in advertising, a tenacious image

The media impact of this campaign was immense. By daring such a radical departure, Citroën achieved a masterstroke. The advertisement for the CX GTi Turbo instantly became a cult classic and has secured a lasting place in the heritage of automotive communication. It was the result of Jacques Séguéla's philosophy for Citroën, which involved creating spectacular advertising sagas, like the "Wild Chevrons" or the Visa on the Clemenceau aircraft carrier. These campaigns positioned Citroën as a daring, creative brand capable of generating buzz. However, did this brilliant move truly transform the image of the CX? Not entirely. While the ad undeniably made an impression and modernized the brand's perception, the CX remained, for a large part of the public, the comfortable and stately grand tourer it had always been, favored by business leaders and presidents.

Today, such an advertisement would simply be prohibited. Legislation now bans any communication that portrays speed as a selling point. This makes the film even more precious, a witness to an era when advertising creativity seemed limitless. It demonstrates Citroën's ability to take risks and create cultural artifacts that go beyond the mere promotion of a product. By associating its name with an artist as avant-garde as Grace Jones, the brand with the chevrons not only sold a car but also affirmed its identity: a brand that does things differently. This commercial remains Citroën's second memorable collaboration with the art world and is far from the last, proving that audacity is written into the brand's DNA.

The 1980s were a prosperous decade for television advertising, which became an art form in its own right. Brands, and particularly car manufacturers, did not hesitate to invest colossal budgets in high-spectacle films to stand out. Citroën, under the impetus of Jacques Séguéla, was one of the major players in this trend. The campaign for the Citroën CX with Grace Jones is one of its most striking examples. Undoubtedly, this commercial holds a prominent place in the pantheon of historic ads, not only for its unforgettable aesthetics but also for the audacity of its message. It reminds us of a time when Citroën did not just follow trends but created them, with a creativity and freedom that continue to inspire. And it was not the last time the brand would surprise us.