- Arsenal players & English National Ballet dancers perform together in a series of videos to promote New DS5
- The films play on DS5’s strapline of ‘The Refined, Redefined’ with footballers learning the graceful art of ballet
- The first video is now available to watch on facebook.com/citroenuk
- Citroën is the Official Automotive Partner of Arsenal Football Club
Four members of Arsenal’s first team have swapped studs for soubresaut, the pitch for plié and goalposts for glissade in the latest Citroën campaign promoting the stylish new flagship DS5.
In a distinctive and stylishly shot series of videos created by Euro RSCG London, the players learn ballet moves with guidance from star dancers of English National Ballet and choreographer and dancer Jenna Lee. The campaign’s surprising narrative is a play on DS5’s strapline of ‘The Refined, Redefined.’
In the main sequence, first team players Alex Song, Wojciech Szczesny, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bacary Sagna arrive at stately Brocket Hall where they meet four ballerinas. They start by warming up, immediately highlighting the contrast between the two types of warm-up routines. The players then try some ballet steps, helped by the ballerinas. After an intensive training session, the footballers and ballerinas perform together, before bowing to Citroën’s DS5, getting into the car and driving off.
There is one 90 second video, released today, together with a ‘Making-of’ and two ‘Behind-the-scenes’ films, which will be revealed later in April. These feature the players trying out some more contemporary dance moves and Szczesny showing a musical talent that surprises both the ballerinas and his fellow players.
Jules Tilstone, Marketing Director at Citroën UK, commented: “As the Official Automotive Partner of Arsenal Football Club, we have already created a number of successful joint campaigns. With this project, we wanted to take their top class footballers, renowned for their refined style of football, and put them into a new environment that would redefine their sporting talents. It was a fantastic experience working with the Arsenal players and English National Ballet’s dancers in this way – a unique opportunity to bring together two contrasting worlds with individuals who are all at the top of their game.”
Vinai Venkatesham, Head of Global Partnerships at Arsenal Football Club, commented: “Our players really enjoyed the shoot, and the chance to demonstrate that their qualities of strength, agility, balance and focus are just as much a part of ballet as they are in football. We’re really pleased with the end result, which we feel utilises our partnership to complement the positioning of the DS5 in a novel and engaging way.”
ABOUT NEW CITROËN DS5
New DS5 combines bold, modern styling with a luxurious aviation-inspired interior featuring a cockpit roof and pilot-style cabin. Compact and agile, spacious and versatile, DS5 has five doors, five full-size seats and up to 465-litres of boot space. Créative Technologie includes keyless access & start, smart beams, a colour head-up display and a new Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS).
DS5’s body features gloss blacks and eye-catching chrome finishes, such as the slender ‘sabres’ on the front wings. Inside, immaculate attention to detail impresses quality and refinement with the use of authentic, premium materials such as finest grain ‘Club’ leather.
New Citroën DS5 is available with a choice of four refined and efficient Euro V engines – THP 200, e-HDi 110, HDi 160 and the new 200hp diesel electric Hybrid4. The first production Citroën fitted with diesel hybrid technology, DS5 Hybrid4 models deliver outstanding performance, low CO2 emissions from just 99g/km and savings of up to 35% during urban driving. The efficient system offers significant financial benefits to both retail and business customers. As well as impressive fuel economy, the sub-100g/km model is exempt from the London congestion charge and, for business users, the BiK tax rate is just 10%.
Having already picked up the Top Gear magazine Family Car of the Year award, DS5 was recently voted Car Design News’ Car Design of the Year by an international audience of automotive designers and industry experts.
The DS5 range consists of three generously specified trim-level signatures – DSign, DStyle and DSport. Prices start at £22,400, rising to £32,200 for the range-topping DSport Hybrid4.
ABOUT ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB
Arsenal is one of the leading clubs in world football with a strong heritage of success, progressive thinking and financial stability.
Arsenal Football Club was founded in 1886 in Woolwich, south London, before moving to Highbury in north London in 1913.
With the Club celebrating its 125th anniversary in the 2011/2012 season, Arsenal has an impressive roll of honour: English League Champions 13 times, FA Cup winners 10 times, League Cup winners twice and European Cup Winners’ Cup (1994) and European Fairs Cup (1970) winners once. In addition, Arsenal Ladies are the most successful English club in women’s football.
Arsenal’s Manager since 1996 has been Frenchman Arsène Wenger. Wenger is Arsenal Football Club’s most successful manager and his honours include three League titles, four FA Cups and four Charity/Community Shields, including two League and Cup ‘doubles’ in 1998 and 2002. In addition, Arsenal went unbeaten for the entire 2003/04 Premier League season, an unprecedented achievement in English football.
In 2006 Arsenal embarked on a new chapter in its history with a move from its home of 93 years, Highbury Stadium, to the new state-of-the-art 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium.
For further information about Arsenal Football Club, please visit Arsenal.com.
ABOUT ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET
English National Ballet is one of the world’s great ballet companies, which celebrated its 60th year in 2010. The original vision – to take classical ballet of the highest quality to the widest geographical audience, at a price everyone can afford – remains the cornerstone of the Company’s philosophy today. The Company of 67 dancers and full orchestra performs large scale, high quality classical ballet nationally and internationally, presenting the same scale and excellence on tour as in London.
The Company continues to develop a large, enthusiastic and dedicated following through developing an original and popular repertoire; touring; reinvigorating the classics; engaging classical choreographers and keeping prices accessible.
Highlights for 2012 are Against Time, a collaboration with Flawless, choreographed by Marlon “Swoosh” Wallen and English National Ballet’s Jenna Lee touring the UK from June. Dance GB, an Olympics themed project with Dance Company Wales, and Scottish Ballet performed across the UK in July. And classical masterpiece Swan Lake returns to the London Coliseum in August. English National Ballet is also the West London Hub for Big Dance 2012.
