Landor drives Citroën rebrand

French car maker Citroën is poised to undertake a wholesale review of its branding and has appointed Landor Associates Paris office to the task, Design Week can reveal. The consultancy was appointed to the project – estimated to be worth up to seven figures – last week.

Citroën marketing director Ian Hughes declines to comment. ‘We are just doing what everyone else – like Jaguar or Rover – is, and responding to changes in the marketplace,’ he says.

It is not known how Citroën envisages overhauling the branding, though it is likely that any redesign work would leave the iconic chevrons untouched.

Citroën designer Flaminio Bertoni reinterpreted the original blue-and-yellow marque at the same time as designing the DS model, creating a stark and simpler identity. Today’s Citroën badge is used on models merging the two chevrons with the car grille.

According to reports, the French car brand’s latest advertising push, created by Euro RSCG, is part of a drive to move the brand into the upper mid-size fleet market, which is traditionally dominated by German cars such as Volkswagen, Ford and Audi.

The ad, which broke last night, emphasises the ‘teutonic’ engineering features of Citroën’s new C5 model. It is part of a wider integrated UK marketing programme that includes digital and on-line channels.

Hughes says that over the past year, Citroën has been ramping up its on-line presence.

UK digital consultancy Brand – width has recently refreshed the Citroën UK website, while digital group Syzygy created a microsite for the manufacturer late last year. The site, www. differentiseverything.co.uk, is intended to emphasise Citroën’s heritage as part of on-line brand-building efforts.

Landor declines to comment.