The Best Season of the Year – Renault | Clapboard Ad Archive

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The Best Season of the year - Renault | Clapboard Ad Archive

Renault’s 2023 campaign The Best Season of the Year, created by Publicis Conseil, leverages the brand’s role as premium partner of Roland-Garros to assert its position as a champion of French excellence and a global connector through culture and sport within the automotive sector. Building on the 2022 partnership, Renault integrates its visual identity directly into the iconic clay court, even emblazoning the net with its emblem, signaling a seamless fusion of brand and event that elevates both. The campaign’s centerpiece is a dreamlike film where clay falls from the sky like snow, blanketing cities across continents and transforming streets, rooftops, forests, and gardens into impromptu tennis courts. This surreal visual metaphor, aligning with Clapboard’s FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit, conveys Renault as the enabler of a worldwide celebration that transcends geography and player status, inviting amateurs and professionals alike to unite in the joy and anticipation of the Roland-Garros season. Rather than focusing on product features or direct automotive benefits, the narrative positions Renault as a lifestyle catalyst that embodies innovation, style, and emotional resonance tied to a moment of shared euphoria and national pride. By associating with Roland-Garros, a pinnacle of French sporting heritage watched globally, Renault amplifies its premium positioning and cultural relevance, targeting audiences who value more than mobility—those who seek to engage with moments that inspire and connect. The campaign’s integrated approach in France during May 2023 underscores Renault’s ambition to make France shine internationally, reinforcing its role as a forward-thinking brand invested in both tradition and modernity. Clapboard rates this campaign 63/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how automotive brands can transcend product-centric messaging by embedding themselves in cultural narratives that evoke emotion and global unity while reinforcing national identity.

Credits

Client

Renault

Agency

Publicis Conseil

Category Mind Map

48%

Renault’s campaign, “The Best Season of the Year,” leverages its renewed role as the premium partner of Roland-Garros to reinforce the brand’s image as a promoter of French excellence and a connector of global audiences. The brand proposition centers on positioning Renault as an enabler of vibrant, shared experiences tied to key cultural moments—in this case, the celebrated tennis tournament—highlighting both ambition and national pride. By associating itself with Roland-Garros, Renault aims to embody a sense of style, innovation, and emotional connection, inviting consumers to partake in the euphoria and anticipation that the event generates worldwide. The campaign’s market strategy is rooted in a narrative-driven approach that transcends traditional automotive messaging. Renault capitalizes on the universal appeal and excitement surrounding Roland-Garros, using the imaginative visual metaphor of clay falling like snow to symbolize the global reach and unifying power of the tournament. This creative angle transforms the tennis season into a communal event where amateurs and professionals alike engage in spontaneous play across diverse urban and natural settings, reinforcing a feeling of accessibility and shared passion. The campaign targets a broad audience who values lifestyle, culture, and national identity beyond the car itself, positioning Renault as more than a vehicle manufacturer—as a lifestyle enabler and cultural participant. By aligning with a prestigious sporting event and emphasizing global participation rooted in local pride, Renault leverages emotional storytelling to deepen brand relevance and elevate its premium positioning within the competitive automotive market.

FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact. This campaign vividly aligns with FORMAT#9: Symbolize the Benefit. The narrative hinges on a dreamlike, global event where clay (symbolic of Roland-Garros) falls like snow, transforming cities and inviting people worldwide to play tennis. Rather than demonstrating features or stating benefits, Renault’s partnership magically “opens the season,” using the surreal clay snowfall as a powerful visual metaphor for excitement and unity—directly linking the Renault brand to the euphoric, festive phenomena that Roland-Garros brings. There’s no explicit problem-solution, testimonial, or story arc centered on Renault resolving a challenge; instead, the brand is emblemized as the enabler of this joyous, symbolic transformation.

1. Peugeot – Market Positioning Peugeot positions itself as a blend of French design elegance and innovative technology, emphasizing stylish, efficient vehicles that cater to urban and family needs. It focuses on electrification and driving pleasure, promoting a dynamic yet accessible driving experience with a strong heritage in motorsports and a commitment to sustainability. 2. Citroën – Market Positioning Citroën stands out through its emphasis on comfort, quirky design, and affordability within the mainstream automotive segment. It targets customers seeking distinctive style, technological innovation focused on ride quality, and practical, family-friendly vehicles with an approachable and playful brand personality. 3. Volkswagen – Market Positioning Volkswagen anchors itself on German engineering excellence, reliability, and a well-rounded product range from compact cars to SUVs. The brand emphasizes quality, safety, and technological innovation, including a strong push towards electric mobility, aiming to combine everyday practicality with a premium feel. 4. Toyota – Market Positioning Toyota is positioned as a leader in hybrid and alternative fuel technology, known for reliability, fuel efficiency, and durability. The brand appeals to environmentally conscious customers, offering a broad lineup, including hybrids and emerging electric models, while emphasizing innovation and long-term value. 5. Ford – Market Positioning Ford emphasizes toughness, performance, and innovation, with a portfolio that balances mainstream models and SUVs/trucks. It promotes American engineering robustness, technology integration, and electrification initiatives, targeting customers who value driving dynamics, utility, and a progressive approach to mobility solutions.

Q: What is The Best Season of the year about? A: The Best Season of the year is a 2023 integrated campaign created by Publicis Conseil for Renault in France. It marks the second year of Renault’s premium partnership with the Roland-Garros tennis tournament. The campaign centers on a dreamlike film where clay, symbolic of the tournament’s courts, falls like snow across cities worldwide, inviting amateur and professional players to celebrate the arrival of the tennis season. This visual metaphor connects Renault with the excitement and global reach of Roland-Garros, positioning the brand as a promoter of French excellence and a connector of shared cultural moments beyond automotive messaging. Q: What creative device does The Best Season of the year use? A: The Best Season of the year employs FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT from Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This creative device uses exaggerated visuals and symbolic imagery—in this case, clay falling like snow—to represent the positive impact of the Roland-Garros partnership. Rather than focusing on product features or direct benefits, the campaign uses this surreal visual metaphor to embody excitement, unity, and the festive spirit of the tennis season, linking Renault’s brand identity to the emotional and cultural significance of the event on a global scale. Q: What is the campaign proposition for The Best Season of the year? A: The campaign proposition positions Renault as an enabler of vibrant, shared experiences tied to key cultural moments, specifically the Roland-Garros tournament. It communicates Renault’s ambition to promote French excellence and connect global audiences through emotional storytelling. Targeting consumers who value lifestyle, culture, and national pride, the campaign elevates Renault beyond a car manufacturer to a lifestyle enabler and cultural participant. This strategic positioning reinforces Renault’s premium status by associating the brand with innovation, style, and the euphoria surrounding one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events. Q: How does The Best Season of the year rank in Clapboard's archive? A: The Best Season of the year has a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in using imaginative storytelling and symbolic visuals to deepen brand relevance and connect with a broad, culturally engaged audience within the competitive automotive market. Q: Who are the competitors in Renault's category? A: Renault competes with several key automotive brands, each with distinct market positioning. Peugeot emphasizes French design elegance and innovative technology, focusing on electrification and driving pleasure for urban and family customers. Citroën targets those seeking comfort, quirky design, and affordability with a playful brand personality. Volkswagen is known for German engineering excellence, reliability, and a broad product range emphasizing quality and safety. Toyota leads in hybrid and alternative fuel technology, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers with a focus on reliability and innovation. Ford highlights toughness, performance, and American engineering, balancing mainstream models with SUVs and trucks while advancing electrification initiatives.