Yet it was this last hypothesis is accepted

It is the story of the second pole of Havas, force to be raised and never see the day, eventually do figure in Arlésienne... It is also the story of a budget advertising history, of Citroën (178 million euros invested in 2005), which spectacular campaigns in various whirlpools, eventually to be confused with the tormented history of the group chaired by Vincent Bolloré. Initiated in Delpire, the first agency of Jacques Seguela, current Vice-President of Havas, the Citroën saga which saw, among other episodes, a CX (censored in Switzerland) out burst in 1984 ajar Grace Jones mouth, could stop net after the purchase by the advertising agency Havas, in 1991. So Havas already managed Peugeot. It is the opposite happened, leading to the final, a history of close to 40 years. Even if, in reverse, the fidelity of the automaker was also characterized by relentless pressure on successive agencies.

July 2005. Smoulder in the Citroën House. The automaker is not satisfied with the benefits of the Agency of Frédéric Temim, Euro RSCG 27, a structure designed yet customized to manage its communications since 2001. Jacques Seguela reopens this delicate and highly strategic, folder put permanently on his desk. Since 1991, it is he who has the upper hand on the budget. Always available and in the heart of the action, so the melee. An exclusive right which does not always fluent and easy reports between the different actors on the advertising of the constructor. But this exclusivity clause was imposed at the time of redemption, at the request of Peugeot-Citroën, for fairly obvious reasons of competition. Then decision is that the former President of Havas, Alain de Pouzilhac, and its teams will focus on the communication of their historic budget Peugeot (managed by BETC Euro RSCG). While the creative and commercial of the ex-RSCG treat advertising of Citroën.

According to several internal sources and as noted by "Le Figaro" of June 22, several scenarios are then reviewed during summer 2005, which at the same time sees Vincent Bolloré take its brands to the Presidency of Havas. Three, in particular, are studied carefully: a merger between Euro RSCG 27 and Devarrieuxvillaret Agency, subsidiary of the Group; a bid of Scher Lafarge, former subsidiary of Havas, who piloted the budget 1998 and resumed its independence in 2002; or finally the acquisition of Leg (Eurostar, "Humanity"...), a structure sharp, brilliant, mounted by Gabriel Gaultier in the fold of the number two world WPP, but barely transform creative prowess in lyricism and constant results.

Yet it was this last hypothesis is accepted. In October 2005, is purchased Leg included debts to Sir Martin Sorrell, Chairman of WPP, for a tidy sum estimated at around EUR 3 million. Havas expects much of Gabriel Gaultier: freshness, creativity, renewal... Or as summarised abruptly Jacques Seguela, "something more biting (only Euro RSCG 27, Editor's note) to break the traditional codes of automotive communication...". "But the will to break the codes is not alone in game. Online focus, in effect: the weight of the France for Citroën. Certainly, since the beginning of the 2000s, the French Agency ceased to be the "lead agency", which the agencies Havas took expeditiously international campaigns almost. But the France continues to make sales (16 of the total), just before the Spain (14). It is therefore a major pawn, whose communication is one is essential.

State of grace of Gabriel Gaultier last yet: "Peugeot wants to make the international institutional communication while Citroën has more of a local, close enough, pragmatic approach in this large distributor, analysis a manager group, that glue evil with the sensitivity of a creative as Gaultier who first is an artisan, with lot of talent, of occasioned, personality".little focused on concessions... "Meanwhile, Jacques Seguela is his explanation:"Citroën is a simple, popular, exuberant." Leg may be designed campaigns a little too sharp, a little too second degree, a bit too modern... "Understand a little too"trendy ". Most importantly, the needs of the automobile, this manufacturer in 70 countries, evolved: "it has tripled its creative requirements, is the Vice-President of Havas. There where, once, he asked thirty annual films, he now wants cent. "Freestyle, under these conditions, to perform the custom. As Citroën now dream of a large structure in the image of BETC, first French Agency, ensuring on the communication from Peugeot. And richly rewarded in international advertising boards.

Provide a new logic

Where the idea of a second pole that slowly re-emerges, doing so during Mercedes ARAF and Rémi babinet's Agency. But with that Specifically, those that references for months to conduct a second network appearing in an alternative proposal to Euro RSCG Worldwide: Benoît Devarrieux and Jean-Pierre Villaret, co-chairs of Devarrieuxvillaret. Except that it would not issue at least for the moment for international purposes. But instead of the wide range combining Devarrieuxvillaret and the new Eldorado, both subsidiaries of Havas and Scher Lafarge, who had invented for the constructor the famous slogan: "You cannot imagine any that Citroën can do for you", which the advertiser seems to have nostalgia. Even if the coexistence of Gilbert Scher and Christophe Lafarge with the new Eldorado agency proved in 2001 for the under thunderstorm. And that there is a certain absurdity, which everyone is aware, to redeem an agency transferred four years ago for one symbolic euro or almost to its leaders.

But Havas its accounts and studied various assumptions, including one, in particular, that would see Leg continue to deal with the Edition for Citroën, and promotional operations while the second pole, Jean-Pierre Villaret would then assume the Presidency and Christophe Lafarge the operational direction, aegis the communication on the "products" Citroën. In this case, the new package could be head of nearly 40 million euros of revenues. What readjust the balance of forces in a Havas hitherto largely dominated by the weight of the BETC. But most importantly, provide radically new configuration and a logic the group chaired by Vincent Bolloré.