Over the course of several years, automaker Renault ran a series of ads that resonated across Britain, as it aimed to evoke the romance and sophistication of the French using only two words “Papa” and “Nicole”. The long-running campaign to promote the Renault Clio became loved and parodied, as each spot would show a father and daughter’s love lives with Nicole in the eponymous vehicle and her father taking other modes of transportation to his dates, which would run less smoothly.
Inevitably, the automaker has finally revisited the highly successful campaign that sold over 300,000 cars during its seven year run, 30-years later but with a modern-day twist in order to celebrate Father’s Day.
The influence of the campaign went beyond car sales, however, with the U.K.’s Office of National Statistics reporting that over 7,000 women were born and named Nicole between 1996 and 2000, making it one of the most popular names of the time in the U.K.
As a result, debuting on Saturday June 18, the company released a look at three real-life women who were named after Renault’s own Nicole and their fathers talking about one another. The five-minute film, titled “Papa, Nicole: The Story Lives On” hears from the Nicoles about their fathers, their lives and their ambitions as they drive a Renault Megane E-Tech. Playing through out is a newly recorded version of the recognizable music from the original campaign too.
In a statement, Louise O’Sullivan, marketing director (UK and Ireland) at Renault, said: “Bringing the nostalgic Papa Nicole ad into a modern dimension hits the nail on the head. We’re adding a modern chapter into the much-loved story as we get to know real-life Papas and Nicoles. From exploring the ever-adapting dynamic between fathers and daughters, to the fact that the campaign will run on social instead of TV: every aspect of this campaign is relevant right now in 2022.”
Created by Publicis Poke, the campaign will run on social, display, print and out-of-home platforms until the end of July.
Rob Butcher, creative director at Publicis Poke, explained to Adweek that the changes in society since the run of the “’90s phenomenon” of the series led the creative team to wonder what had happened to the women who were named after the original female lead, having grown up now.
“This is also mirrored in the story of Renault. A brand-new generation of electric cars is changing the way we live, move and connect with each other. So the timing felt right to come back to the story and see how we could tell it for today,” he continued.
“We wanted people to care about this story just like people cared about the original, which is a tall order for the work we make. But ultimately it’s the only thing that really matters. People invested in Papa and Nicole’s lives because of the unique, but completely relatable, father-daughter dynamic. We knew that had to be part of the story we told with this work. That’s where the emotion is, it’s what makes you care.”
The film was directed by Toby Dye with production by RSA Films and media handling and buying from OMD.
CREDITS:
Papa, Nicole: The story lives on
Client: Renault
Advertising Agency: Publicis Poke
Executive Creative Director: Dave Monk
Creative Directors: Colin Byrne, Rob Butcher
Client Team: Colin Byrne, Rob Butcher
Head of film: Sharon Joyce
Planner: Mike Waters and Joe Crust
Business Lead: Matthew René
Account Team: Maggie Forrest
Agency Producer: Colin Hickson
Media Buying Agency: OMD
Production Company: RSA Films
Director: Toby Dye
DOP: Jake Gabbay
Production Manager: Katie Keith
Editor: Julian Eguiguren
Production: Ben Porter
Post Production Company: The Mill
Audio Post Production: Soundtree
Casting: Rose Waite
Assistant Director: Ben Gill
