Wallyworld

Nazi Eagle InsigniaHere we go again - Nazi allusions in advertising. Citroën are running this cheesy spot in the U.K. - complete with Nazi eagle insignia, the autobahn, a road sign in gothic script not seen in Germany since the end of WWII, The Brandenburg Gate and Hitler's favourite composer Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" playing underneath. I'm surprised they didn't have the actor in a toothbrush moustache and be done with it. Agency: Euro RSCG

Nazi Insignia


Wikipedia has this to say about the Brandenburg gate -

The Brandenburg Gate's design has remained essentially unchanged since its completion even as it has played different political roles in German history. After the 1806 Prussian defeat at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, Napoleon took the Quadriga to Paris. After Napoleon's defeat in 1814 and the Prussian Parisian occupation by General Ernst von Pfuel, the Quadriga was restored to Berlin; and Viktoria's olive wreath was exchanged for the Iron Cross, so that she became Nike, goddess of victory. When the Nazis ascended to power they used the Gate as their symbol.

Brandenburg gate

Oh yeah...it's always amused me that the English way of pronouncing Citroën comes out sounding like the French word for lemon. In French, Citroën is pronounced "Sit-ro-enne" not "Sit-rone". That's why there are two little dots over the "e" - known as an accent tréma - used when two vowels are next to each other and both must be pronounced.

A Citroën spokesperson had this to say -

It's a very controversial advert and I'm sure people will see the humour in it. It's very striking.

Yeah...we're laughing all the way to the bunker.

Citroën also have this naff How much of a Kraut are you? test on their website.

As Basil Fawlty would say -

Don't mention the war - I did once but I think I got away with it.

Tvs Worst Adverts says -

Citroen have squeezed in every hackneyed, out-dated, and in some parts borderline offensive cliché about Germany that they could fit into 90 seconds

I note that the Neo-Nazis on the White Pride site don't mind this Ad. at all -

I love that add,best add i have seen in years Blond hair white man driving on hitlers roads with his favourite music in the background.

Is EuroRSCG aware, I wonder, that all Nazi and neo-Nazi regalia and insignia are banned in Germany?

But they do glibly say on their website

Citroen - Different is everything - irritate people

Quite. It's different that they haven't bothered to use the accent tréma over the e on Citroën too. Turning it into a citron.

I like the new Citroën C5 apart from the chintzy chrome badge on the front of the bonnet. Its a lot better-looking than the last C5 which was very boxy and seemed to be a great favourite of silly old buggers in cardigans and cloth caps.

Few years back I owned a 1977 Citroën CX Break - a station-wagon - which like all Citroëns, had its quirks but had hands-down the best ride of any car I've owned - and I've owned a lot. It ran on the famous green dragons oil hydraulic suspension and you could dial your settings in - raising and lowering the suspension. But I tended to forget that it sat back down on its haunches when parked. I once stashed several surfboards under the CX when I slept in the back of the wagon on a surf-trip and woke up to a breakfast of squashed surfboards.

BTW it's 60 years since the Citroën 2CV rolled off the assembly line. Three long-lost TPV prototypes - the forerunner of the Deux Chevaux were discovered hidden in a French barn in 1994. They'd been under bales of hay for 55 years to keep them from the German invaders.

Good review of the C5 here from Fifth Gear -

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