Ren'Ault?

[mikey]

So, for quite some time now, I've been annoyed by Renault's advertising campaign for the new Megane.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTthvxpzNDM

Essentially, I get it - things change, and so do you, the time has come to consider a Renault. But really, that part where the two people are in love on the meadow is just so cynical - remember you promised not to love anyone else? So essentially, if you're a teen and in love, Renault says it's not going to hold.

[Jake]

So essentially, if you're a teen and in love, Renault says it's not going to hold.

So by implication... you should never buy a Renault in case it causes your relationship to break down?

[DaFool]

That girl was cute, though.

Back in the eighties when we had a Renault 9, Renault was considered the 'Toyota' of Europe.

Wonder if that's the case now?

[mikey]

So by implication... you should never buy a Renault in case it causes your relationship to break down?

Well, I'd definitely be superstitious about that, sure . Or, let's put it this way - if you're a teen, in love, and your other half whispers to your ear softly: Dear, I want to buy a Renault... you know it's over.

Also, to extend the theory in the spirit of the ad - girls, don't date men with Renaults (unless they have a family?)

That girl was cute, though.

... and that Renault driver just left her.

Back in the eighties when we had a Renault 9, Renault was considered the 'Toyota' of Europe.Wonder if that's the case now?

Well, now the association Renault has is probably "safety". Toyota's word would be "reliability" (at least in Europe). So I'd say they are not really similar - especially since Renault and Nissan are merged or something - they use the same chassis and engines and bodies... So basically Renault is the Nissan of Europe, though of course that's not quite right, since they are selling models alongside each other.

[yummy]

In France, there's this reputation about Renault cars being easy to have breakdowns. I personally don't know if that reputation is true or not, but if someone told me they bought a Renault, I'd joke about it, saying like "Oh, so you're planning to buy another car next month!".

The ad reflects this state of mind: the last sentence trying to remove that bad reputation, just as if that reputation was just a matter of trends, of immaturity (notice that they always show first-timers, first wireless phone, first computers, "first" girlfriend, first rebel attitude...).

Whatever, this ad isn't targetted on mere 600 gen buyers. It's clearly for men, preferably an executive, with a family. The main word is "change". A noun and also a verb. "It is time to change.", meaning "you've got to change into Renault, because things change and Renault changes".

In this ad, there's another issue that seems to have totally been ignored by their creators and the people who allowed it to represent the brand: even if people changed, even if a product from that brand changed, the brand reputation might not. There's also this Damocles sword swinging with this "change" motto. If a Renault isn't enough, you could always... change.

Nevertheless, I think the wireless phone part in this ad is the most funny, particularly when the guy blinks his eye.
I clearly remember when they sold the pre-wireless phones this big: they were limited to some zones, looked like talkie walkies and cost a fortune per minute -when you actually managed to use it- and remember when people used to say they'd never buy one at this time.

[Jake]

In France, there's this reputation about Renault cars being easy to have breakdowns. I personally don't know if that reputation is true or not, but if someone told me they bought a Renault, I'd joke about it, saying like "Oh, so you're planning to buy another car next month!".

In the UK, it's Peugeots we tend to see as breaking down all the time. Peugeots and Fiats, which my brother was informed stood for "Fix It Again Tomorrow" when he got his first one...

(My brother's Punto ran fine until he wrapped it around a lamppost, but a co-worker's 205 is always breaking.)

But to be fair to Renault, "The new Renault Mégane: marginally more normal-looking than the old Renault Mégane" probably wouldn't have been such a catchy advert.

[Samu-kun]

Poor mikey. =w= Perhaps this cute picture of Tsukasa will restore your idealism.

[Hime]

Am I the only one who thinks the lack of meganekkos in this advertisement is unforgivable? ._.

[yummy]

Am I the only one who thinks the lack of meganekkos in this advertisement is unforgivable? ._.

I think it's the lack of pure and fluffy Tsukasa instead. Thankfully, Samu-kun fulfilled my otome desires.

[monele]

I don't know how I'd feel about seeing Japanese fluff appearing in french car commercials, though ^^;...

[mikey]

Poor mikey. =w= Perhaps this cute picture of Tsukasa will restore your idealism.

Thank you, and I never lost it, really - actually, I just don't like the fact that Renault's marketing department has apparently lost it, or thinks that losing it is grown up. Well, what I really don't like about that it all is that it kind of assumes things about me. With other adverts I feel like "if you buy this car, this and this will happen" (mostly this means having a good-looking woman on your side, being cool and successful and so on). But this is how it usually is with ads. With this one, I feel like it's telling me "you are like this, and therefore, you will drive this car". Especially that love part, where it assumes it will inevitably happen that I'll lose my first girlfriend, because that's not real love... or something to that extent.

I especially dislike it because I like change, I've really changed a lot, even during the last few years. It's like "your mom told you so", and that's actually quite a nice idea, and I could imagine telling my child (if he's a teenager, probably also to tease him a bit ^_^) that one day his priorities will change, and that he'll find enjoyment and depth in things that didn't interest him - all that I could imagine, but would I actually tell him that you aren't going to be with your current/first girlfriend, because that's just how things go, you'll break up? That would be just... mean and cold. I just don't like the idea of looking back and smiling at my first relationship with a sigh thinking how foolish I was back then. Even if statistically it doesn't work out in most cases. This is exactly the kind of "quasi-grown-up" talk that I don't like.

[Vatina]

I may be generally negative on this point, but I also think that is an attitude that is pretty normal nowadays. The "it won't last anyway" part. Like how you almost always see people in movies that have been divorced 3 times already, or they are leaving someone for something else.

Splitting up has just become second nature :/

But yeah, it may just be because I'm a pessimist.....

[mikey]

Splitting up has just become second nature :/

Though I believe that in the overwhelming majority of the cases, this is not "just the way it goes", but very specifically the fault of both the people involved. It's just that it's easier to get over the mistake or unwillingness to work on the relationship if one says "c'est la vie" over a pint of beer with friends. From what I've seen in my circle of friends, it was never really the "right person" that led to a stable relationship, but that they themselves (actually, both of them) were prepared to commit.

[cynical_idealist]

I do think that teen romance is generally doomed in the modern age, but not always, and it does seem a little mean-spirited to say it like that.

I think teenage relationships will break up in most cases because the teens in question haven't really "found themselves" yet. They're not ready. They don't know enough about themselves to make a fair and honest commitment to anyone else. A good solid relationship requires understanding and acceptance on both sides. Being committed to making something work and building something together is extremely important, more so than the sparks of mad passion. But you have to be able to hold up your end of agreements. You have to know what you are in order to promise yourself to a partner.

Some people have that maturity young. Good for them, hope they stay happy. Most don't.

At the same time people seem to get more desperate to skip straight from being strangers to going steady and being a couple, without time to get to know each other and be sure they both know what they're getting into. No wonder they break up so much.

[Hime]

I think teenage relationships will break up in most cases because the teens in question haven't really "found themselves" yet. They're not ready. They don't know enough about themselves to make a fair and honest commitment to anyone else. A good solid relationship requires understanding and acceptance on both sides. Being committed to making something work and building something together is extremely important, more so than the sparks of mad passion. But you have to be able to hold up your end of agreements. You have to know what you are in order to promise yourself to a partner.

For most part of this I agree, especially on the importance of commitment, but the last sentence there... I doubt it. I'd say that rather than not knowing yourself, it's about not growing together with your partner. People who want to be companions for life instead of teen lovers have to share everything, especially when they grow as a person. From what I have experienced, no matter how the persons change, if they share that growth and grow together as well, as an entity instead of a pair of singles, they will grow dependant on each other, like two halves, and stay together. Thus, even if you have no idea who you are, if you are committed and wise enough in your relationship, it won't become a huge problem.

And a very, very important from what I've learnt myself: nothing, just absolutely nothing, is more important than talking to your partner about everything, all the more if it concerns you and your feelings. You should try to aim at a situation where there is nothing you couldn't talk about if you wanted to.

I may be generally negative on this point, but I also think that is an attitude that is pretty normal nowadays. The "it won't last anyway" part. Like how you almost always see people in movies that have been divorced 3 times already, or they are leaving someone for something else.

Splitting up has just become second nature :/

This reminded me of a thing that I've noticed myself about the relationships of the youth, and perhaps even some older people: many people seem to think that their partner will be fun, improve their life and do a lot of romantic stuff. Whereas that should happen in a good relationship, it shouldn't be expected that the other person is some sort of a 24/7 free servant who always knows your wants and doesn't have a life, especially if you don't put any effort to the relationship yourself. For people who don't realise this, companions are just passing delights which you toss away for another one when you get bored of them... Durr, just can't understand that kind of attitude. As if people were disposable. It's sad.


Haha, from car ads to relationship talk. Just how a conversation can change. Sowway for offtopic, I've just seen too many young couples in the past months... ^^;