CITROE¨N LAUNCH SERIES OF CELEBRATORY COMFORT INSPIRED ANIMATIONS

Since 1919, Citroën has been at the forefront of automotive comfort; so, inspired by its rich history, Citroën UK is releasing a series of eight celebratory animations looking at the past, present and future when it comes to comfort.

The first animation in the ‘Createurs De Comfort’ series – set against the backdrop of Paris in 1938, centres around a bank robbery and the legendary Citroën Traction Avant. The story sees a group of gangsters thinking they have escaped from the police in their Citroën Traction Avant, before the police ramp up their pursuit, but this time in the same iconic vehicle, catching the perpetrators in a dramatic ending.

The second animation takes place in Normandy in 1948 and features the iconic Citroën 2CV. A farmer is in a hurry on his way to market, but thanks to the 2CV’s soft suspension, he can take a detour when his route is blocked without breaking any of the eggs he’s transporting. Eagled eyed viewers will also notice the inclusion of an iconic Citroën road sign and some interesting market square detail in the animation.

The other short films are a compilation of Citroën’s most iconic vehicles and their unique histories and achievements. The models featured have, at some point in the Brand’s history, revolutionised automotive comfort, and the stories convey how Citroën’s comfort offering has advanced over the years.

They feature the 1922 Sahara crossing in the Scarabée d’Or and the Type H van taking part in the 1969 Mount Ventoux cycle race. Another one sees the CX Safari acting as the “original steady cam” as part of the Aintree race meetings between 1980 and 1989. The animations also include Citroën’s newest model, C5 Aircross SUV taking on the steepest street in Wales, and a look to the future with the 19_19 Concept car.

Created by Havas London and design studio Made by Radio, the animations are each 15 seconds long and take inspiration from the Brand’s centenary last year – referencing the style, typography, art direction as well as the colour palette and animation styles that have been adopted throughout the years, with care and attention paid to developing animations that perfectly encapsulate the Citroën Brand.

All animations end with each of the iconic Citroën vehicles transforming into the new C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid, an iconic vehicle to kick-start the next chapter in the Brands history, its Electrification Offensive.

Souad Wrixen, Marketing Director at Citroën UK: “At Citroën we endeavor to always put our consumers at the heart of everything we do, and the animations we’ve created are a celebration of real Citroën stories that are inspired by you.

“The animations run through different eras which demonstrate the Brand’s expansive history and we are confident that such stories will also resonate with a range of different age groups. We believe comfort is key for all and we hope the animations tell the story of how it is embedded into everything Citroën does.”

From the revolutionary ‘Moteur Flottant’ (floating engine) to the innovative suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions®, Citroën has always been at the forefront of automotive comfort. Citroën’s benchmark in comfort is reflected in the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme, aimed at bringing unprecedented comfort to every passenger.

Comfort is the cornerstone of any new model, thanks to the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme, which creates a protective cocoon effect on-board. Comfort features vary across the range and include Progressive Hydraulic Cushion® suspension, Advanced Comfort seats, smooth steering, clever acoustics, extensive connectivity and numerous storage compartments.

This translates into a stress-free travelling environment, innovative solutions and smart technology dedicated to ensuring the well-being of body and mind for all passengers.

The first video in the series is now live on the brand’s social media channels in the UK and every two weeks a new addition will be uploaded.

Click here to see the first animation in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIAG6fxlFfE&list=PLSrC9oieZkSOp54FpFa4vqU0NqnugxqZe

To read more about the new Citroën C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid, visit:

https://www.citroen.co.uk/new-cars-and-vans/citroen-range/citroen-c5-aircross-suv-hybrid

For further information on the ‘Createurs De Comfort’ animation series visit:

https://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/inspired-by-you/createurs-de-comfort-animations

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Read more on the first four videos in Citroën's new animation series here:

• Gangsters
  • Set against the backdrop of Paris in 1938, this animation is based on a bank robbery where the gangsters make their get-a-way from the police in a Citroën Traction Avant
  • The gangsters think they’ve escaped shortly before a second police car gains on them, this time it is also a Citroën Traction
  • The video comes to a dramatic end with the police triumphant in their pursuit against the gangsters and the Citroën Traction Avant morphs into the new C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid
• Eggs
  • This animation sees another iconic Citroën vehicle, the 2CV, set against the backdrop of Normandy in 1948
  • We see the legendary 2CV flying across rugged farmland at speed as the driver appears distressed
  • The video shows the 2CV’s suspension working hard over the farmland – but in the back of the vehicle all is calm and serene
  • The eggs in the back of the vehicle are unbroken having enjoyed the smooth ride, with barely a ripple on the surface
• Sahara
  • Taking inspiration from the iconic Citroën Scarabée d’Or journey across the Sahara in 1922, this animation sees the classic vehicle journey tracking across the desert
  • The video showcases an oasis desert illusion that transforms into a woman drinking a cocktail
  • The shot pans out to reveal the woman is in fact sat on top of the Scarabée d’Or whilst it scales smoothly across the rough desert terrain
  • The frame closes with the renowned Scarabée d’Or changing into an animated version of the new C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid
• Aintree
  • Set in 1980, this animation opens with race horses thundering down a racecourse
  • Our view tracks along with the racehorses while they jostle for position and the camera shakes - the sound of the galloping hooves becomes distant and suddenly the camera is still
  • The view pans back to reveal that we are actually looking through the viewfinder of a camera – with the shot staying perfectly steady, gliding along with the horses at pace
  • The view pulls back again to reveal that the camera and cameraman are sitting on top of a Citroën CX Safari – the Citroën suspension smooths out the muddy field as they go
  • In a tense photo finish, the Citroën just beats the horses over the finish line
  • The shot ends with the Citroën CX Safari transforming once more into an animated version of the new C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

JOHN HANDCOCK, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

07810 180249

john.handcock@citroen.com

SIMON BROOME, PR MANAGER

07827 840 050

simon.broome@citroen.com

EMMA GAFFNEY, MEDIA RELATIONS EXECUTIVE

07747 898130

emma.gaffney@citroen.com

CRAIG MORROW, PRESS FLEET MANAGER

07747 764745

craig.morrow@mpsa.com

JEREMY TOWNSEND, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

07827 896480

jeremy.townsend@mpsa.com

FOLLOW CITROËN ON TWITTER AT: www.twitter.com/citroenuk

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The Citroën Brand

At the heart of the automotive market, Citroën has asserted itself since 1919 as a popular brand in the true sense of the word, making people and their lifestyles its first source of inspiration. This spirit is underlined by the ‘Inspired by You’ brand signature and is embodied by cars combining unique design and benchmark comfort. Within the sector of mainstream brands, Citroën also stands out with a unique customer experience (Citroën Advisor, ‘La Maison Citroën’, etc.). In 2019, the Citroën sold one million vehicles in over 90 countries.

The Citroën Brand in the UK

The UK is the 4th largest market for Citroën globally, with 80,000 vehicles sold in 2019. Based in Coventry, Citroën UK’s range of hatchbacks includes C1 (city car), C3 (supermini) and C4 Cactus (compact family car). The UK SUV line-up consists of C3 Aircross (compact SUV) and C5 Aircross (mid-size SUV). The UK MPV range features Berlingo (5 or 7-seats), Grand C4 SpaceTourer (7-seats) and SpaceTourer (up to 9-seats). Citroën UK’s Light Commercial Vehicle offering covers all sectors of the market with Berlingo Van, Dispatch and Relay. Citroën has a clearly defined electrification strategy with all models across the range offering an electrified version by 2025. In the UK, 2020 sees the launch of New C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid (PHEV), plus the introduction of Dispatch and Relay battery electric vehicles (BEV).

Citroën UK media site: https://www.media.stellantis.com/uk-en/citroen - @CitroenUK