Turn on the television or open a newspaper today and the chances are that you will see one of the documentary style Renault advertisements - titled 'The Mégane Experiment'. Poking gentle fun at British and French national stereotypes it focuses on the contrast between the village of Gisburn, Lancashire - where there are no Méganes - and Menton, Cote d'Azur, where there are many.

Principal character in the campaign is Claude, a cravat-wearing Frenchman who travels to Gisburn to help the residents discover 'joie de vivre'. On his journey, Claude explains to the villagers how towns with high Mégane ownership have higher fertility rates. He also convinces the proprietor of the local pub, the White Bull, to rename it the Boeuf Blanc and arranges a 'Festival de Joie' on the local playing fields.

The campaign has its own website - TheMeganeExperiment.com - and it also uses Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to get its message across. The online channels feature behind the scenes footage, competitions and a series of 'humorous' videos starring Claude and his new English friend Hughie.

It seems like a strange way to advertise a car; the Mégane plays an almost incidental role in the films. There must also be a danger that people will miss the joke. Whether it will send customers flocking to Renault showrooms remains to be seen. Here are three of the videos:







John Lambert - 18 Aug 2010