[Citroën advertisements] GS and Jacques Séguéla: the ad campaign that almost ended it all

Citroën GS: when Jacques Séguéla’s boldness almost cost him the brand’s business

Welcome back to our series on the legendary Citroën advertisements. Today, we look at a pivotal, almost electric moment in the history of automotive communication. This is the story of the very first campaign orchestrated by a young advertiser who would go on to become a legend: Jacques Séguéla. While this collaboration is now viewed as a stroke of genius, it began with a genuine internal earthquake. By trying to shake up the status quo, Séguéla took a massive risk—one that almost saw him permanently stripped of the "Chevrons" brand budget right after his debut.

The handover: from Delpire’s art to RSCG’s energy

The story begins with a symbolic and strategic transfer of power. For years, Citroën’s image was inseparable from Robert Delpire, an aesthete who elevated the brand’s brochures and posters to the level of fine art. However, the time for change arrived when Delpire agreed to sell his agency to Jacques Séguéla and his partners. This move instantly propelled the new entity, RSCG, to the position of the second-largest agency in France.  

For Séguéla, his entrance could not have come at a more complex time. He defined himself as an advertising disruptor, determined to take "side roads" from his very first steps. His first mission—his "entrance through the artists' door"—concerned the Citroën GS (and its future evolution, the GSA). At the time, the GS occupied a unique place in the lineup: it lacked the legendary ruggedness of the 2 CV and the sculptural beauty of the DS. It was perceived as a technical mid-range product that needed a boost. The brief from Citroën's management was disarmingly simple: "Focus on fuel consumption and road holding. You have one week".  

"Blasphemous" slogans for remarkable efficiency

True to his reputation for speed, Séguéla did not wait for the deadline. In less than one night, the creative vision was set. The next morning, he presented two poster projects for bus shelters. His philosophy was clear: sobriety is the golden rule for an effective poster, and the headline must literally "violate the gaze". The car was shown head-on, stripped of all artifice, accompanied by a single, punchy word as the headline.  

The first poster proudly claimed "L’antigoinfre" (The Anti-Glutton) to emphasize the fuel efficiency of the GS engine. The second, perhaps the most famous, was titled "L'anti tape-cul" (The Anti-Bumpy-Ride) to boast about the incomparable merits of the hydropneumatic suspension. Unexpectedly, Citroën's advertising manager—likely tired of overly conventional communication and thrilled to see boundaries pushed—gave an immediate green light. A month later, these two advertising "blasphemies" were spread across the walls of French cities. That was when the scandal erupted.  

Séguéla’s goal was to highlight the product’s real strengths. The GSpécial, with its 1129 cm³ engine, promised real savings with a consumption of just 8.4 liters at 120 km/h on the highway. As for comfort, the arguments were solid: the hydropneumatic suspension ended the ordeal of long journeys, absorbing bumps without a jar and maintaining constant ground clearance, even with five passengers and their luggage. But the tone used, judged vulgar by the general management, did not sit well.  

Immediate sanction and a triumphant return

The reaction from Citroën’s top management was swift. Jacques Séguéla was summoned within the hour. The sentence fell like a guillotine: the communication budget for the GSA was immediately withdrawn and handed over to the Dupuy Compton agency. Worse still, the advertiser was ordered never to approach another of the brand's models again, under threat of Citroën cutting all ties with RSCG.  

The rival agency, Dupuy Compton, then signed a radically different campaign in 1979, much more conventional but visually very strong. it featured a red carpet unrolling on the road as the car moved forward, accompanied by the slogan: "The GSA, it remakes the road". It was a simple and effective success. For many, this was the end of the Séguéla adventure at Citroën.  

However, Jacques Séguéla did not admit defeat. Convinced that this initial "vulgarity" would actually be his resurrection, he harbored the ambition to win back this budget for "the world and for life". History would prove him right. A few years later, he returned through the front door to sign legendary campaigns, such as the Visa on an aircraft carrier or the "Wild Chevrons" saga. What had been perceived as a mistake was actually the birth of modern "Citroën style": communication that isn't afraid to shock in order to leave a lasting impression.  

In conclusion, the two iconic advertisements for the Citroën GS undeniably left a mark with their brutal honesty and visual effectiveness. Jacques Séguéla certainly came close to permanent dismissal, but above all, he managed to impose an original tone that would define the brand's communication for decades to come. These campaigns for the GS might have been "rough around the edges," but they already carried the DNA of Citroën: a unique ability to never do things like everyone else, both on the road and on our city walls.