Rabbids go mainstream with Renault

A cinema campaign featuring Renault and Ubisoft’s Rabbids aims to take the game characters beyond consoles.

The familiar characters currently star in ads for Renault’s Grand Scenic, which have been shown throughout the summer before screenings of blockbusters such as Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3.

Ubisoft says that this partnership is a key part of its plans to expand the Raving Rabbids brand into sectors such as toys and clothing.

Since 2006, the brand has established itself as the fun, family-friendly property in Ubisoft’s portfolio, so they were the obvious choice when attaching to a family car such as the Renault Grand Scenic,” Ubisoft brand manager Ombeline Wallon told MCV.

As we are now looking to broaden the appeal of the Rabbids outside of games in sectors such as toys and apparel, it is key to position them as fun, cute and crazy characters who can live in areas other than video games.”

The partnership with Renault is the continuation of a deal signed in April 2009. Following the success of online activity combining the Rabbids with the launch of the Grand Scenic, the campaign was extended to TV and cinema to market the car’s 2010 model.

Renault approached us because they felt that the Rabbids were a great match and would provide a fun way to present the Renault Grand Scenic brand,” said Wallon.

Working with Renault gave us an opportunity to let the Rabbids shine in a new and interesting way outside of games but still being their wacky selves.

The partnership is a great creative mix and allows people who don’t play video games to get to know the Rabbids.”

The World Tour campaign will continue until December, with ads set to run before screenings of the new Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter films.

It will also help raise awareness of the series before the newest video game – Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time – arrives on Wii and DS in November.