Has DS publicity department lost the plot?

[DaveB]

Had a mailshot from DS today, publicising the new DS3.

My first thoughts on opening the brochure were "why have they put a picture of a bag lady there?". Then "why is the second page printed upside down?". I thought the upside down printing could be tied in with some "clever" marketing ploy; on closer examination I'm sure it's just an error. Looking at the pictures of the dash I though that they had moved the perfume dispenser over to the driver's side, which seemed a rather expensive bit of attention to detail for a car which has only a limited time left before it's replaced. Then I looked at the dials & saw that they, too, had apparently been reversed both in location & direction of rotation. . . they have just taken a picture of an LHD dash & flipped it.

Turns out, on doing a web search, that the bag lady is apparently some famous fashion designer - so famous that not only did I not recognise her, I've never even heard of her, neither has my wife. Does an unrecognisable geriatric really convey the image they want for the DS3? If you're trying to sell your cars as "premium" products shouldn't some attention to quality be evident in your publicity material?

Altogether a shoddy effort which does no credit to the DS3 or to DS as a marque.

[lfcrule1972]

There was another post that discussed this a week or two ago, tried to find it but couldn't but in short, I agree with you, very odd choice for a car campaign, no matter who she is the simple view is an old lady advertising a DS3

Oh found it - http://www.ds3club.co.uk/showthread....l=1#post216430

[streettweeks]

Citroen has bigger problems than its marketing department that's for damn sure, general service for a start.

[lfcrule1972]

My service and local dealer are excellent, I realise they're not all wonderful but if yours isn't you need to move

[cyclone]

Citroen has bigger problems than its marketing department that's for damn sure, general service for a start.

phew, good thing it is a DS now and not a Citroen

I'm sure that that will make ALL the difference (Did you hear the sarcasm there?)

[StevenRB45]

Had a mailshot from DS today, publicising the new DS3.

My first thoughts on opening the brochure were "why have they put a picture of a bag lady there?". Then "why is the second page printed upside down?". I thought the upside down printing could be tied in with some "clever" marketing ploy; on closer examination I'm sure it's just an error. Looking at the pictures of the dash I though that they had moved the perfume dispenser over to the driver's side, which seemed a rather expensive bit of attention to detail for a car which has only a limited time left before it's replaced. Then I looked at the dials & saw that they, too, had apparently been reversed both in location & direction of rotation. . . they have just taken a picture of an LHD dash & flipped it.

Turns out, on doing a web search, that the bag lady is apparently some famous fashion designer - so famous that not only did I not recognise her, I've never even heard of her, neither has my wife. Does an unrecognisable geriatric really convey the image they want for the DS3? If you're trying to sell your cars as "premium" products shouldn't some attention to quality be evident in your publicity material?

Altogether a shoddy effort which does no credit to the DS3 or to DS as a marque.

I'm of the opinion she would be far better used as a spokesperson for spec savers. If anything they seem to be making the quality of the marketing material match the quality of the car, looks reasonable at 1st glance then the longer you spend looking at the more you see where they cheaped out...

[streettweeks]

My service and local dealer are excellent, I realise they're not all wonderful but if yours isn't you need to move

It was just problems with the dealer but had issues with Citroën Psa now not knowing that the dealership had taken the car as part ex... Won't go in to detail was bad enough explaining it to Citroën UK

Oh and to add insult to injury the car needs to back in to the garage... Again the second time (I've had it about a month this one)

[DaveB]

Citroen has bigger problems than its marketing department that's for damn sure, general service for a start.

I've had excellent service from my local Citroen dealer.

Want really crap service? Buy an Alfa!

[Soran]

Citroen have a history of using women in their publicity that are well left field, as this advert from 1986 shows:

[cyclone]

So a history of bad taste and stupid add campaigns, How comforting to know it is not a recent development.

[Gatecrasher]

I agree with the OP, Who does this campaign target exactly? What image do they want to give DS and the DS3? with all due respect to the old lady but what on earth has she got to do with selling a car?

If I were in the market for a new car right now and I saw that, It wouldn't appeal to me and have me think it's not something designed with your average male in mind. which is a shame because the DS3 is actually a fun car to drive.

[JEZDS3]

Citroen have a history of using women in their publicity that are well left field, as this advert from 1986 shows:

Crazy and fun.......is that an early manifestation of Roadrage!?

[StevenRB45]

I agree with the OP, Who does this campaign target exactly? What image do they want to give DS and the DS3? with all due respect to the old lady but what on earth has she got to do with selling a car?

If I were in the market for a new car right now and I saw that, It wouldn't appeal to me and have me think it's not something designed with your average male in mind. which is a shame because the DS3 is actually a fun car to drive.

Having Googled who she is when the ad first arrived, she is a French fashion designer with a reputation for going her own way and doing her own thing. She very probably would not care about any of the negative comments she has attracted.

In some ways I can see what they are driving at "if you want to stand out, and be known for your style and non-conformity get a DS"

Rather falls down in that 98% of the UK population would need to google her and very few may actually bother bit of a misfire when the UK is your strongest market.

[footix2]

It would have worked if they had used Vivienne Westwood. But being French, that would have been too British.

[streettweeks]

In my opinion they would have been better using the fact that the DS3 is a world rally champion with Kris Meeke a British rally driver... and that the DS3 has competed in Gymkhana with Liam Doran at the helm ... Things that any driving enthusiast / nut would appreciate and pay attention to its done so well in racing
so why do they not use that .. I'm not saying it reflects the car your buying off the forecourt .. no my 115 DS3 isn't going to break any records on silverstone but it doesn't matter its just portraying the DS3 image and whats its "Capable of" dare to dream sort of speak .. and then to introduce the new performance model have Liam Doran, or Kris Meeke,
or Sebastian Ogier racing down St Tropez wiggly roads in it ... and then a clip of the new style model been driven in a more urban setup with kids in the car to show its a true all rounder ...