When the lion meets the rooster: Peugeot and Pathé join forces to reinvent “French-style” cinema

Peugeot and Pathé unveil a unique partnership that combines production, promotion and in-theater experiences. A 100% French alliance that could change the place of brands in cinema.

There are alliances that seem surprising until you realize that they were inevitable. Peugeot and Pathé, two institutions born in the same year – 1896 – have just announced a partnership that could shake up the French industrial and creative landscape.

Between the lion of Sochaux and the Parisian rooster, a common objective: the desire to promote French cinema and create new experiences for the public. As Ardavan Safaee recalled during a press conference at the L’Alpe d’Huez festival, the two worlds share a common driving force: emotion. The president of Pathé Films also explained that producing major films for theaters is increasingly complicated. And this is rarely done alone. Budgets are rising, competition is global, promotion has become a science. We therefore need strong allies. Peugeot, for its part, was looking for a new territory of “emotional” expression. And when the lion brand discovered that more than 70% of its customers were regulars at cinemas… it became obvious, a marketing alignment of the planets.

What will the partnership look like? First, as Valérie Candeiller, director of global communications for Peugeot, explained, it will not be a question of simple product placements. This alliance will cover all Pathé activities.

From production, Peugeot will make its vehicles available for filming, including iconic models from its museum. Need an 80’s vehicle for a chase? A 205 will do the trick. A retro chic scene? A 404 is ready. Exactly what happened on Flash Font 80′which pays homage to an entire vintage aesthetic – and an entire automotive era.

On the distribution side, co-branded systems will accompany film releases and in operation, the two brands will join forces for events, entertainment or premium experiences…

With the 1,500 Peugeot dealerships in France mobilized, the idea is also to take cinema where we don’t necessarily expect it: a way of extending the “Pathé galaxy” to territories less covered by the major circuits.

This connection says something about the moment the room is experiencing. French cinema displays its ambitions: to produce films for the general public and spectacular, capable of existing in the face of American machines. If Pathé already contributes massively, the company gains with this partnership a relay in manufacturing and unprecedented experience. Peugeot, for its part, brings a strong French imagination, an imposing national network and historical know-how.

This partnership could mark a new stage in relations between major brands and studios. Between support for creation, the renewal of brand marketing and the search for premium experiences, Peugeot and Pathé have just announced a unique marriage.