Responses by Morgane Alexandre, art director; Nick Bakshi, creative director; and Olivier Mille, writer, BETC Paris.

Background: We set out to shake up electric vehicle advertising, which had become, to be honest, a bit predictable with its focus on environmental messaging and technicalities. Instead, we created entertainment that happens to feature the Citroën ë-C4, blending classic cinematic sci-fi tropes with automotive innovation. Our target audience includes anyone fatigued by conventional EV ads and appreciates a fresh approach to storytelling.
 
Design thinking: We took the classic alien-meets-human story and gave it an unexpected twist. Instead of the usual heartwarming farewell, our alien is so impressed by the car’s comfort that they choose it over their journey home. It’s a playful way to demonstrate product superiority while creating something genuinely entertaining, turning a test drive into an intergalactic seal of approval.

Challenges: Creating a character that audiences would connect with, even after an “unconventional” choice, was our biggest challenge. We needed to balance endearing personality with product showcase, ensuring that the comfort of the ë-C4 felt like a natural plot point rather than a forced feature demonstration. So, yes, designing a creature that could convey both “I’m your best friend” and “I’m keeping your car” with just a tilt of the head took some doing. Its name is Mike, by the way.

Favorite details: The Oscar-winning sound team we had the luck to work with created an alien language both otherworldly and charming. We’re also particularly proud of our commitment to practical effects—the alien is a triumph of animatronics and puppetry, giving the film a tangible quality and nostalgic feeling that CGI couldn’t match.

New lessons: We discovered that when you prioritize entertainment value, product features can be communicated more naturally and memorably. Sometimes, the best way to showcase a car isn’t through traditional automotive tropes. We’re looking at you, winding corniche roads!

Visual influences: We went straight to the source—those incredible sci-fi films from the ’80s we love. You know those classic scenes where the characters meet an alien and that alien has to go home at the end? That’s what we were after, but with a modern and unconventional twist. Our director Gary Freedman really got it—he kept the warm, nostalgic feeling of those classics while giving everything the contemporary finish you’d expect from high-end automotive work. He managed to make our alien feel real and charming—until a certain moment of the film, of course. It’s all a balance between cozy sci-fi nostalgia and modern car commercial gloss.

Alternate paths: We would have developed the social media strategy earlier. The audience connection to Mike, our extraterrestrial character, proved even stronger than anticipated, suggesting opportunities for extended storytelling across platforms. People really want to follow a car-stealing alien on Instagram!

In the end, this campaign showed us that when you trust your audience’s intelligence and sense of humor, you can create advertising that entertains first and sells second—while doing both more effectively. We want to believe!

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