The advertising campaign for the Citroen DS3 has caused a storm among John Lennon fans.
A television advert for the car features stars including Lennon and Marilyn Monroe talking about nostalgia.
During the advert - which was made with the Lennon estate's permission - Lennon says: “Why all this nostalgia? Start something new. Live your life now.”
But fans of the Beatle have reacted angrily, with some saying the advert is cashing in on the dead star's fame and calling for a boycott of Citroen products.
As a result, Lennon's son, Sean has moved to defend the decision by his mother Yoko Ono to let the footage be used. He did concede, however, taht he understood why people were "mad" at the advert.
Sean Ono Lennon said on his Twitter page: "She did not do it for money. Has to do w hoping to keep dad in public consciousness. No new LPs, so TV ad is exposure to young.
He added: "Look, TV ad was not for money. It's just hard to find new ways to keep dad in the new world. Not many things as effective as TV."
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Re: Lennon fans: 'boycott Citroen'
Their comment is that the design is not blatantly retro, unlike Mini/500. The DS brand will apply to a range of models, not just the DS3 so it is not, in itself, eretro. It is seen as a nostalgic nod to the futuristic and forward thinking DS.
A look at this might more than answer my point: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/881734/Branding-Brand-news---Citroen/
Re: Lennon fans: 'boycott Citroen'
I'm slightly baffled by the fact that the 'anti-retro' Citroen blatantly invokes their classic DS nomenclature. Er, If that's not retro, what is? Perhaps it should be called the Citroen NOSTALGIE, or NOTAMINI?
Citroen and Peugeot's latest attempts to rebrand themselves as all-new, forward-looking manufacturers, jettisoning their history because all people remember is the recent (poor quality) past, seems like desperation.
Admitting that their designs have been dull for years and promising a new beginning may work in the short term, but only if they're true to their historical strengths (ie - oddball Citroens, and sharp-suited small cars & practical family cars from Peugeot) and they genuinely follow through on all the things that have let them down in the last decade. In the longer term, it's risky to change your identity and your product DNA to this extent - just ask Jaguar.
Rescripting John Lennon to create a stir may well be a start, but as soon as the tactical 'We'll pay your VAT!/Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!' advertising returns, the new-look veneer will begin to chip away. Hopefully, for customer choice, they'll establish their 'new' identity before Tata and the Chinese manufacturers arrive in the market the French are currently battling over with the Koreans.
Re: Lennon fans: 'boycott Citroen'
I agree, her 'Yes, I'm a Witch' albumn was truly marvelous. I still listen to it on a regular basis.