In Côte d'Ivoire, Renault's local subsidiary came very close to an advertising scandal. Last July 13, the car manufacturer posted on social media an advertising that showcased an African woman posing next to a Renault model, with the caption “when an African woman rides a Renault, she suddenly looks more beautiful”.

The ad made some intrigued internet users react very quickly urging the brand to explain this ambiguous text. The manufacturer was asked to clarify whether it was the car that made the African woman beautiful or vice versa.

Trying to avoid a scandal, the firm made a new Facebook post explaining that “it is of course the Renault that is sublimated by the African woman! Renaults are beautiful, but women are even more”. The group would finally have to apologize to avoid the media scandal experienced a few months ago by H&M.

Servan Ahougnon