Volkswagen - Parc des Princesses
Volkswagen, a partner of the French Football Federation, needed to demonstrate authentic support for the French Women's National Team during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. The client sought to generate national excitement and encourage public backing for "Les Bleues" among French citizens, positioning Volkswagen as a progressive and supportive brand.
Creative Idea
Volkswagen renamed the "Princes" stadium to "Princesses" on public signs.
Volkswagen subtly transformed Paris's iconic "Parc des Princes" into "Parc des Princesses" on public signs to champion the French women's national football team, generating widespread support and demonstrating a powerful commitment to gender equality in sports.
Rewriting Parisian History One Sticker at a Time
A Linguistic Challenge to the Patriarchy
The campaign targeted the Parc des Princes, a landmark dating back to the 18th century when it served as a royal hunting ground. By subverting the name to Parc des Princesses, DDB Paris executed a direct linguistic challenge to centuries of patriarchal naming. To ensure the "hijack" felt authentic, the agency produced custom stickers that meticulously matched the typography, color, and weathering of official RATP metro and city road signage. These were placed strategically at the Porte de Saint-Cloud and Exelmans stations, as well as stadium entrance markers, creating a "grey area" between sanctioned partnership and guerrilla street art.
Strategic Continuity from the Place de l'Étoile
This activation was a direct follow - up to Volkswagen’s 2018 campaign, Place des deux Étoiles, which celebrated the men's second World Cup star by renaming the Place de l'Étoile. By applying the same logic to Les Bleues, the brand signaled that the women’s team deserved equal historical reverence. Chief Creative Officer Alexander Kalchev noted that the goal was to grant the women's team the same legendary status as the men through a symbolic gesture rather than traditional "logo slapping."
Millions of Impressions in 48 Hours
The operation was a massive earned media success, generating millions of impressions within the first 48 hours. The hashtags #FiersdetreBleues and #ParcDesPrincesses trended nationally, while the PR value was estimated in the hundreds of thousands of euros following coverage by L'Équipe and Le Parisien. The campaign’s manifesto summarized the mission: "Half of football's history remains to be written. The 'Bleus' wrote the first half; now it is time for the 'Bleues' to write theirs."
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Volkswagen, as a partner of the French Football Federation, leveraged its influence to visibly support the national women's team.
Category
Sports sponsorships often prioritize men's teams or offer generic support, overlooking specific needs for gender equality in recognition.
Customer
The audience desired national pride and recognition for the women's team, feeling a tension around the historical lack of equal support.
Culture
The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup hosted in France, alongside a rising global conversation about gender equality, created a receptive cultural moment.
Company
Volkswagen, as a partner of the French Football Federation, leveraged its influence to visibly support the national women's team.
Category
Sports sponsorships often prioritize men's teams or offer generic support, overlooking specific needs for gender equality in recognition.
Strategy:
Champion underrepresented groups by visibly challenging established norms to foster inclusive national pride.
Customer
The audience desired national pride and recognition for the women's team, feeling a tension around the historical lack of equal support.
Culture
The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup hosted in France, alongside a rising global conversation about gender equality, created a receptive cultural moment.
Strategy:
Champion underrepresented groups by visibly challenging established norms to foster inclusive national pride.
Strategy Technique
Take a Real Stand
Volkswagen took a clear stand for gender equality in sports, actively challenging the traditional focus on men's football. This positioned the brand as a champion for the French women's team and broader societal change.
Creative Technique
Reverse Expectations
The campaign reversed the expectation of male dominance in football by renaming a famous stadium, subtly challenging traditional gender roles. This created a powerful statement of support for the women's team.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its clever concept and precise editing, transforming a simple, symbolic act into a powerful and widely resonant statement of support.
The rapid-fire montage of hands meticulously changing signs, perfectly synchronized with the driving music, creates a compelling and dynamic narrative that builds excitement and impact.
The idea of physically and symbolically renaming a landmark stadium's surrounding signage to 'Parc des Princesses' is a brilliant, impactful, and highly shareable way to champion women's football.
The realistic portrayal of the sign transformations, from street signs to subway maps, lends authenticity and a sense of widespread, grassroots action to the campaign's core message.
The rhythmic, percussive electronic music is integral to the ad's energy, driving the narrative forward and enhancing the feeling of a coordinated, impactful operation without needing dialogue.
The campaign's magic truly comes from the seamless integration of a clever, symbolic concept with dynamic, fast-paced editing and a driving, empowering soundtrack, making the simple act of changing signs feel like a significant, widespread cultural movement.
