Ever watched an ad so good you forgot what it was actually selling?

Well, enter a glorious new campaign from French carmaker Renault.

Beautifully shot and with a narrative to boot, the superb piece of storytelling will have you forgetting it’s actually trying to flog you a new Renault Clio.

The ad’s the work of London agency Publicis•Poke and is targeted at the UK market as part of Clio’s 30th anniversary. Check it out below.

The 30-second, 60-second, and two-minute commercial spots set to of the iconic Oasis’ track Wonderwall, portrays the story of two young friends and their shared experience of the quintessentially 90’s school ‘French exchange’ and the relationship that blossoms over the following thirty years, one punctuated by each edition of the famous Clio.

Adam Wood, marketing director at Renault UK said: “Renault brings people’s passion for life a little closer through our cars. We wanted to humanise and celebrate, not just thirty years of progress of the Renault Clio, but also the progress made within culture, society and life in that time. The Renault Clio is as in tune with the times today as it always has been.”

Dave Monk, ECD at Publicis•Poke added: “Britain has had a love affair with the Renault Clio since the 90’s halcyon days of Papa & Nicole and wind up windows. Many things have changed in those thirty years. While technology, design, attitudes and culture will always shift and change, one thing will always stay the same as long as humans have hearts. The love story. This is a simple and universal tale of two souls on their own enduring journey of life, love and passion.”

The campaign kicked-off last Friday across the UK. It will run across TV, cinema, VOD, OOH, DOOH, press, social, eCRM.

PUBLICIS•POKE CREDITS

CLIENT: Renault UK

ADVERTISING AGENCY: Publicis•Poke

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Dave Monk

GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Colin Byrne

CREATIVE DIRECTORS: Rob Butcher, Tom Genower

STRATEGISTS: Miranda Ross, Calvin Lyon

BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Stuart Pond

ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT: Abby Fox, Luke Cox, Fraser Thomson

HEAD OF FILM PRODUCTION: Colin Hickson

ASSISTANT AGENCY PRODUCER: Joss Haynes

MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: MG OMD

MEDIA PLANNERS: Laura Henderson, Rach Murray

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Academy Films

DIRECTOR: Frederic Planchon

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Stéphane Fontaine

PRODUCERS: Dulcie Kellett & Simon Cooper

EDITORS: Assembly Rooms

EDITOR: Sam Rice-Edward 

POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: MPC

COLOURIST: Jean-Clemant Soret

VFX: Timo Huber

AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Wave Studios

SOUND DESIGNER: Parv Thind

MUSIC: Soundtree

MUSIC COMPOSER: Luis Alma

MUSIC PRODUCER: Jay James

DATE RELEASED: 08.11.19

CITY / COUNTRY: United Kingdom 

EXPOSURE: TV, Cinema, OOH, DOOH, Social, Press