Skoda's new Tour De France campaign sparks controversy: Is it art or a depiction of male genitalia?
Škoda and FCB London have turned an unwanted nuisance into a powerful promotional platform for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The creative minds behind the campaign repurposed crude penis graffiti found along the Tour de France men’s race route, transforming them into bold, eye-catching artworks that celebrate the women's race.
The unique strategy involved using the penis graffiti as a unique and attention-grabbing way to engage the global audience with the women's race. This unconventional out-of-home (OOH) campaign was aimed at being both disruptive and celebratory, embracing the recurring issue of penis graffiti and turning it into a conversation starter to heighten awareness and engagement for the women's race.
The artworks, created by feminist French illustrator Celine Dormeau and London-based illustrator Erin Aniker, each take a unique spin on the phallic outline, featuring the official #WatchTheFemmes hashtag. The designs serve as a conversation starter, embracing empowerment with a touch of silliness, symbolically supporting gender parity in cycling and promoting the women’s Tour de France.
Owen Lee, the chief creative officer at FCB London, saw the penis graffiti on the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift course as an opportunity for a bold and disruptive action to attract global attention. Media planning was managed by PhD, and artist coordination by Global Street Art.
This large-scale take on traditional art exercises, where one man’s defacement is transformed into another man’s artistic expression, was part of a larger effort to make the women's race more visible and engaging to a wider audience. The campaign is considered a daring and memorable move, inspiring comparisons to other creative endeavours such as KFC's 'vandalised' billboards and the best sports logos of all time.
For those interested in design news, reviews, how-tos, and more, the Creative Bloq Newsletter offers daily updates on such innovative campaigns. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift promotion by Škoda and FCB London is a testament to the power of creativity and the transformative potential of art.
- The illustrators Celine Dormeau and Erin Aniker, who worked on the project, created artworks that took unique spins on the phallic outlines found along the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift course.
- Owen Lee, the chief creative officer at FCB London, saw the penis graffiti on the women's race course as an opportunity for a bold and disruptive action to attract global attention.
- The artworks, featuring the official #WatchTheFemmes hashtag, serve as a conversation starter, embracing empowerment with a touch of silliness, symbolically supporting gender parity in cycling.
- Media planning for the campaign was managed by PhD, while artist coordination was handled by Global Street Art.
- This large-scale art project, where one man’s defacement is transformed into another man’s artistic expression, was part of a larger effort to make the women's race more visible and engaging to a wider audience.
- The campaign is considered a daring and memorable move, inspiring comparisons to other creative endeavours such as KFC's 'vandalised' billboards and the best sports logos of all time.
- For those interested in design news, reviews, how-tos, and more, the Creative Bloq Newsletter offers daily updates on such innovative campaigns, making it an essential resource for creative professionals in the field.
