Citroen C5 goes Deutsche

Spotted on telly last night, the new campaign by Euros for the Citroen C5. On paper this is a really good idea: Citroen are saying that their new C5 (don't I recognise that name from somewhere?) is so well made - it could be mistaken for being German. The perceived wisdom is that Germans engineer fine automobiles from shiny aluminium in pristine laboratories - and that the French throw cars together with old wine crates on a farm, so it's real opportunity to change people's perception about the Citroen build quality. A great start point for some creative work, and an idea that can work all over the place. Unfortunately the ads themselves don't do this idea justice. Granted, the telly spot has a great soundtrack, and is shot really nicely - and we don't have a problem with the comedy German stereotypes - but the idea just isn't coming through. The 'Made in France' bit at the end feels apologetic, like this was all one big lie, that unfortunately it's not made in Germany by quality engineers, but in France by people who park by crashing into the car in front, sorry. The posters we spotted this morning are just bad puns, with the headlines "Schmitt Hot" and "Touch of Klaus". The shame here is the unfulfilled potential of the idea - the creative potential of whole area of the French doing things in a more German way, and the potential of an idea like this to really change people's perception. Which is one of the holy grails of great advertising, is it not?