[Citroën advertisements] Citroën AX: the story of the "Revolutionary"

After exploring the bold campaigns for the Visa and the CX GTi Turbo, our series on the great Citroën advertisements concludes with a true masterpiece. In 1986, for the launch of its new city car, the Citroën AX, the brand with the chevrons held nothing back. It chose a legendary setting, the Great Wall of China, for a commercial that, like its slogan, aimed to be nothing short of "Revolutionary." This television spot is not just a marketing masterstroke; it is a reflection of an era, an ambition, and the spirit of adventure that has always defined Citroën. We look back at an advertising saga that left a lasting mark and is now part of communication heritage.

The challenge of a "revolutionary" city car

In the mid-1980s, Citroën was at a turning point. The brand, buoyed by the success of the BX, absolutely needed a successful launch for its new small car, the AX. Designed to replace the Visa and LNA, the AX was tasked with competing against the segment's stars, the Peugeot 205 and Renault Supercinq. To achieve this, Citroën had serious technical advantages: the car was lightweight, its aerodynamics were carefully designed (with a drag coefficient of 0.31), and its engines were extremely fuel-efficient, which would earn it fuel consumption records. But to establish this new model, more than just intrinsic qualities were needed; a spectacular launch was required. This is where Jacques Séguéla came in. The famous publicist from the RSCG agency, already the author of memorable campaigns for the brand, knew that the 1980s were all about extravagance. For Citroën, he envisioned something grand, very grand. The idea was audacious: to drive the new AX on the Great Wall of China, thereby extending the legacy of the brand's great expeditions, such as the Yellow Cruise. The message was clear: this small car was capable of great feats. It was not just an economical vehicle; it carried a breath of adventure and innovation. The slogan "Révolutionnaire" (Revolutionary) became the obvious choice.

An advertising epic on the Great Wall

The project, as brilliant as it was, posed a diplomatic and technical challenge. Obtaining permission to film on a monument as symbolic and protected as the Great Wall of China was a first for a Western company. After six months of intense negotiations and the intervention of Deng Xiaoping's son, the Chinese government gave its approval. With a budget of three million francs, a colossal sum at the time, Citroën entrusted the direction of the film to the renowned photographer and documentary filmmaker Raymond Depardon. The shoot itself was an adventure. The cars had to be hoisted onto the wall using bamboo scaffolding on a section with a slope of over 70%. The most famous anecdote remains that the young model driving the AX did not have a driver's license. To create an illusion of speed, the team filmed at 12 frames per second, which allowed the car, actually moving at a walking pace, to appear to be speeding along once the film was edited at normal speed. The result lived up to the ambitions: a powerful image of a small, agile car defying an ancient monument, a young child making a victory sign, and that one word, "Révolutionnaire!", resonating like a promise. The ad was an instant success. It generated immense goodwill for the AX and immediately entered the pantheon of television commercials, forever associating the model with audacity and adventure.

In conclusion, this campaign for the Citroën AX brings our series to a close on a high note of adventure and spectacle. It is emblematic of Citroën's communication strategy during that era: creative, daring, and always capable of surprising. By daring to do the impossible, by blending historical heritage with unapologetic modernity, Citroën and Jacques Séguéla did not just sell a car; they sold a dream. These advertisements, from the "flying" Visa to the AX on the Great Wall of China, are not mere commercials. They are short films that defined their time, are etched in the collective memory, and undoubtedly belong to the great history of advertising. They serve as a reminder of a time when there was no fear of thinking big to tell beautiful automotive stories.