Papa and Nicole explained

Papa and Nicole
Series:Renault
First Date:1991
Last Date:1998

"Papa" and "Nicole" were fictional characters created to advertise the Renault Clio in the United Kingdom between 1991 and 1998. The "Papa!" "Nicole" and "Nicole!" "Papa" verbal exchanges between Nicole and her father during the advertisements were adapted from an exchange between Nicole Bonnet and her father (played by Audrey Hepburn and Hugh Griffith respectively) in the film How to Steal a Million from 1966.

Surveys by Channel 4 and ITV revealed the series as the most popular car advertisements ever aired in Britain. In 1996, one survey found that Nicole was recognised by more Britons than Prime Minister John Major, Bob Hoskins or Chris Evans.[1] Renault was found to be the most persuasive advertiser in five European countries in 1994. The advert was designed by the Publicis advertising agency.

Cast

Professional driver Penny Mallory did the driving for the commercials.[2]

Episodes

  1. French: Très intéressant ("Interesting"), 1991
  2. French: Le rendez-vous ("The Meeting"), 1992
  3. French: Le ski ("Skiing"), 1993
  4. French: Transformation ("Transformation"), 1994
  5. French: Maman ("Mum"), 1995
  6. French: Le changement ("Moved On"), 1996
  7. French: Vies parallèles ("Parallel Lives"), 1997
  8. French: Le mariage ("The Wedding"), 1998

Finale

An all new second generation Renault Clio was launched in March 1998, and with it came the finale of Nicole's Provençale story.

Much publicity and speculation surrounded the question of whom Nicole would marry. Socialite and It girl Tara Palmer-Tomkinson noted, "I can't understand what she is doing getting married. I mean, she is giving up everything. She is one of the most beautiful, stunning, eligible girls around. She must be off her rocker. I mean, she had everything going for her, driving around the country in her Renault Clio, all at Daddy's, or rather Papa's, expense. I should be so lucky."[1]

The finale was itself a spoof of the film The Graduate. Wearing a dress by Deborah Milner and a hairstyle by Nicky Clarke, with her ring designed by Stephen Webster, Nicole was led up the aisle to the as yet unseen groom. The advert played during the advertising break for Coronation Street on 29 May 1998; an estimated 23 million viewers watched Nicole leave Vic Reeves at the altar and start a new life with Bob Mortimer in his new Renault Clio. The advert was also screened extensively during the 1998 FIFA World Cup.[3] Reeves and Mortimer had previously referenced the adverts in their 'Le Corbussier et Papin' sketches from The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer.

Soundtrack

All but one of the advertisements used Renault's 1980s to 1990s signature tune, Robert Palmer's "Johnny And Mary". Each used a variation of the song, including Martin Taylor's acoustic interpretation, an alternative version of which he released on his album Spirit of Django and Renault's promotional compilation, Miles More Music.[4] [5] The advert that did not use "Johnny And Mary" was Le Changement (Moved On) from 1996, where the song by Soul II Soul, "Keep On Movin'", was used. In the advert Le Ski (Skiing), from 1993, the tune by Sam Fonteyn, "Pop Looks Bach" (better known as the theme tune for Ski Sunday), was used in addition to "Johnny And Mary".

In popular culture

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Book: Fog, Klaus . Christian Budtz . Baris Yakaboylu . Storytelling: Branding in Practice . 2005 . Springer . 3-540-23501-9 . 7 . 156 .
  2. Web site: Penny Mallory: TV Presenter . 8 November 2017 .
  3. Book: Dessau. Bruce. Reeves & Mortimer. 1998. Orion Books. London. 0-75281-781-7. 194.
  4. http://www.cylist.com/List/405067611/renault-compilation-miles-more-music-cd-track-listing Miles More Music track listing
  5. http://www.allmusic.com/album/spirit-of-django-mw0000646679 Spirit of Django
  6. Book: John . O'Shaugnessy . Nicholas J. O'Shaughnessy . 159 . Persuasion in Advertising . New York / London . Routledge . 2004 . 9780415322249 .
  7. News: Daisy . Wyatt . Peter Capaldi promises 'no flirting' with sidekick Clara in new Doctor Who series . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/peter-capaldi-promises-no-flirting-with-sidekick-clara-in-new-doctor-who-series-9632347.html . 24 May 2022 . subscription . live . . 28 July 2014 . 1 September 2014.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Papa and Nicole".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.