Club Méditerranée has always advertised its vacation style. The first advertisements appeared in the form of leaflets, advertisements in the Paris metro, and a few inserts in the sports newspaper L'Equipe. One- or two-page advertisements with return coupons were also inserted in periodicals such as Paris Match. Print media, radio, and TV. Over time, the Club used all media to promote the "new vacation" formula.
1950-1976: The time of advertisements
The first advertisement (or rather, "advertisement" as it was called at the time) in the history of Club Méditerranée appeared in the newspaper L'Équipe and its Antwerp equivalent. A few posters advertised this new holiday concept. Maurice Blitz's car, with a large sign on the roof reading "Holidays in the Balearic Islands with Club Méditerranée for 2,600 francs all inclusive," drove through the streets of Antwerp.
Articles, still in L'Équipe, took over by making articles (we were not yet talking about advertorials). In the Tridents of the time, the cartoonist Siné lent his pen and created small drawings to promote the Club in his own way. A few posters created by great cartoonists, advertisements that included reply coupons appeared regularly in periodicals like Paris Match or VSD. A few radio reports or television programs completed the advertising for Club Méditerranée.
It was really from the mid-1970s that the advertising campaigns for Club Méditerranée took a different turn and made a lasting impression. The type of broadcast media expanded to television and radio, and the choice of advertising slogans was striking.
The media revolution and slogans that hit the mark
The first of these appeared in 1976 in the form of verbs in the infinitive. "Eat, Contemplate, Dream, Breathe, Sleep, Laugh, Cry, Speak, Love." This campaign was designed by the Synergie agency (Havas group). Today, it is truly the most successful advertising campaign for Club Méditerranée of all time. Today, it is studied as an example in business schools.
Two years later, the same agency produced a spot aimed at families to play on the conflict between generations. The slogan used was "Club Méditerranée, live as you want."
It would take 12 years to see more memorable advertising spots. In 1985, Club Méditerranée entrusted its advertising budget to RSCG, and a strong slogan hit the mark: "The Club, the best idea since the invention of happiness." Some of the advertising spots in this campaign were directed by Jean-Paul Goude. "Happiness if I want" would follow in 1989 with spots directed by Patrice Leconte.
The next three campaigns came at a time when the Club was going through difficult times. "We've never needed Club Med so much," designed in 1992 by the Publicis agency, followed by "Club Med le Fou vivre" the following year. This last campaign featured excerpts from Jacques Tati's Monsieur Hulot vacation.
In 1996, the Devarrieux Villaret agency (Havas Group) was commissioned and launched the campaign "What are you waiting for to go to Club Med?"
In 1998, following the change in policy and strategy, the Publicis Conseil agency was again called upon. The first spots will use the word "Re" Etre-Re Re-Creation, Re-Miam, Re-Plouf etc.. . This campaign will be the only one of the BOURGUIGNON era.
From 2003 (arrival of HGE), advertising campaigns will follow one another every 2 to 3 years and will emphasize the Club's move upmarket.
2003: “Incomparable Club Med”
2005: “There is still so much to discover” known as the Faces campaign, where we see faces melted into landscapes (mountains, sea, countryside) on posters and advertisements.
2008: “All the joys of the world” with figures of children or adults crowned with hats or headbands on which a landscape appears.
2013: "And you, how do you imagine happiness?" This campaign (Saatchi & Saatchi agency) once again uses the word Happiness in the text. This word Happiness seems to have once again become the leitmotif used by Club Med in its slogans as it was during the 80s, but the image put forward changes. Gone are the faces, replaced by an image that reveals a Zen landscape. A preparation for Chinese horizons and the Fosun era without a doubt!
2014: Launch of a TV advert called "the ballet". This advert, produced by the Saatchi & Saatchi + Duke agency and directed by Xavier Giannoli, shows a classical ballet from the Opera on screen, ending with chassés in a swimming pool to the tune of Darla Dirladada. Thierry Lhermitte, seated as a spectator, adds a final touch by saying "It's funny, it's not at all how I remembered it". The new slogan "Rediscover happiness" is used.
2015: On the web, mini clips imagined by the agency "BETC Content" produced by the Blacktool team filmed in Mauritius (Plantation d'Albion and Pointe aux Canonniers) on the theme of Letting Go. This campaign is aimed at vacationers who on the first day of their vacation have not yet let go of their daily routine: waking up late, the metro, cell phone addiction, the office.
Videos
Compilation of several Club Méditerranée advertisements
AD Craft montage
The youngest, 2023 L'esprit Libre
