A century ago, Citroën pulled off a masterstroke in advertising by illuminating the Eiffel Tower.

A century ago, the Eiffel Tower was not just the most iconic monument in Paris; it transformed into a colossal billboard for the automotive giant Citroën. Imagine one fine morning in Paris, emerging from your café au lait to be greeted by a luminous monster, the name "Citroën" proudly displayed on the famous silhouette, like an old Jacky who decided to jazz up his junk with too many neon lights. It was 1925, and the motorists of the time did not yet know that this stunt would be both a masterpiece of advertising and a monumental technical achievement worthy of the Parisian traffic jams.

A stroke of genius in the heart of Paris

The idea of installing this radiant sign on the Eiffel Tower is attributed to the audacious André Citroën, a man whose vision far surpassed that of mere car manufacturers. To make his name shine in the Parisian sky until the 1930s, it took no less than 250,000 light bulbs and an impressive network of 600 kilometers of electrical cables. It was as if, instead of the loose underwear of some businessmen today, he decided to wear a sequined suit, illuminating every dark corner of his empire. He made sure every Parisian got their daily dose of advertising, not to mention the crowd of awestruck tourists!

How a marketing strategy shaped the urban landscape

Citroën managed to penetrate the French collective consciousness in an unprecedented way. At a time when Renault and Peugeot were battling for the family car market, the brand with the double chevron made its mark. The slogan? A masterpiece, reminiscent of a Bugatti but without the grace. If they couldn't install an advertising panel on every street corner, why not illuminate the Eiffel Tower, after all?

This feat, giving the impression that Paris at dusk resembled more of a neon show in Las Vegas than the City of Light, marked the beginning of a new era of advertising where imagination was the only limit. Far from the austere codes of some competitors like DAF or Simca, André imposed his flamboyant aesthetic on the urban landscape, creating a kind of Disneyland ahead of its time.

A legacy with a taste of myth

Now, let's set aside nostalgia to focus on the legacy left by this operation. Its fame was such that it sparked light shows to celebrate this achievement, from jazz festivals to celebrations of Alpine, not to mention the launch of new cars. Today's engineers and designers must be turning in their graves, desperate for not having the same boldness.

At a time when ads are drowned under flying cars and electric vehicles, this remarkable epic serves as a reminder that creativity and charm can still make a mark in our time. Perhaps Citroën should revisit its old recipes in the face of the rise of Chrysler and other brands too modern to smell the scent of gasoline. Besides, if advertising agencies had a bit of sense, they would reinstall this illumination, just to remind the youth that creativity has never taken a back seat.

And now?

As the epic of the Eiffel Tower and Citroën may seem a distant memory at a time when brands like Panhard and Lancia are struggling to emerge, it is crucial to remember the charm, audacity, and creativity that shaped the identity of cars in France. Who knows, perhaps 2025 holds an unexpected return of this flamboyant style? But it is clear that as long as that spark is present, the spirit of André Citroën will endure in the legacy of automotive brands.

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