Renault Group uses music to push brands upmarket with 35 films a year
Renault Group says music has become a central branding tool, producing 35 advertising films a year in pursuit of 'musical perfection 35 times over.'
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What Happened
Renault Group says music is no longer just a supporting element in its advertising but has become a true branding tool, playing a central role in how its campaigns are designed. The group argues that sound, not just images, shapes audience perception instantly, and that the same creative idea can feel more premium, contemporary, or emotional depending on the soundtrack.
35films
With a single obsession: achieving musical perfection 35 times over.
“Music reflects the ambition that drives a creation.”
- Renault 5: Daft Punk's Instant Crush
- E-Tech 100% electric range: Electricity by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
- Renault Mégane E-Tech: She's Electric by Oasis
- Renault Espace full hybrid: Voyage, Voyage
- Dacia Duster: Michel Berger's previously unreleased Vivre in France, plus local choices in Italy, Germany, and Morocco
- Alpine A290: Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 performed by the Bulgarian Symphonic Orchestra
Renault Group says it avoids fixed sonic territories and builds music around each individual film, its story, the vehicle, and the cultural references of the moment. It often reinterprets well-known songs to give them a more cinematic, immersive dimension, such as Sheila's Spacer with a philharmonic orchestra, Metallica's Nothing Else Matters as a stripped-back choral piece, and Robert Palmer's Johnny and Mary in a Victor Solf electro-chic version. The approach is inspired by cinema, citing directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Guillaume Canet, and Gilles Lellouche, and the group treats musical choices as key pillars of its brand storytelling. Renault ties its music to modernity and French Touch culture, with artists such as Daft Punk and Justice as references, while Dacia uses music for closeness and authenticity and Alpine conveys the intensity and precision of motorsport, as in the A290 film, the 70th-anniversary film with a bespoke neo-classical orchestral score, and the A390 film synchronized with Gabriel Fauré's Requiem.
“In every case, music does more than say something about the products. It gives voice to what the brand wants people to feel.”
For the second consecutive year, in June 2026, Renault extended its brand experience into live events with the Twingo Live Show, created to support the vehicle's launch. The show brought together artists including MC Solaar, Santa, Breakbot, Pedro Winter, Kungs, and The Avener. Renault says the event demonstrates that its artistic choices resonate broadly, fostering a community around creativity and ambition rarely seen in the automotive industry.
Why this matters
Renault Group is using soundtrack choices to reposition its brands — Renault, Dacia, and Alpine — further upmarket, aiming to create instant emotional connections with audiences. For car buyers and fans, the music in ads is a deliberate strategic choice that shapes how vehicles are perceived. The approach shows how automotive marketing uses cultural references to stand out in a crowded, fragmented media landscape.
Terms in This Story
- upmarket
- Positioned toward higher-quality, more premium or expensive products or services.
- French Touch
- A style of French electronic music from the 1990s, characterized by filtered disco and house sounds; Renault cites it as a cultural reference.
- sonic identity
- The characteristic set of sounds, music, or audio cues associated with a brand.
- E-Tech
- Renault's name for its electrified powertrain technology, used on hybrid and fully electric models.
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