Selling

The Peugeot and Citroën brands have, over time, managed to structure themselves and use the most innovative means of communication to promote their various products.

“Catalogues”, illustrated and distributed in several languages, were among the first vectors used to sell Peugeot tools around the world.

Then around 1850, posters took on a new stature, rapidly becoming the favorite support for advertising. They covered large areas and enabled companies to tout the advantages of their products to a wide audience.

In the 1920s, André Citroën launched several innovative means of communication: an illuminated display on the Eiffel Tower, the creation of small-scale models, installation of display panels in the brand’s image, and the organization of expeditions in Africa and Asia, the famous Croisières Noire et Jaune (Black and Yellow Cruises).

In order to demonstrate the reliability of the floating engine, in 1933 Citroën also had “Petite Rosalie” go 300,000 km on the track at Montlhéry. This type of performance was presented during the many auto shows which sprang up in the early XXth century.

Competition was also an excellent forum for promoting and favoring automobile sales. In 1895, Panhard and Peugeot participated in the world’s first timed automobile race. Peugeot subsequently distinguished itself in rallies with its 404 and 205, then at the Le Mans 24-hour race with the 905 and 908. As for Citroën, it particularly distinguished itself in “raid” rallies and now in WRC with the success of Sébastien Loeb.

The network of Peugeot and Citroën brands now has more than 13,000 sales locations throughout the world. Most vehicles are transported there from the factories by GEFCO (Groupage Express de Franche Comté) created by Peugeot in 1949. This company, specialized in logistics and transport, is now present in 29 countries and transports 3.2 million cars a year.

ZX Rallye raid en 1991.

ZX Rallye Raid – 1991

The visionary André Citroën always gave a lot of importance to the promotion of his company’s image. From the early 1920s, major expeditions through the Sahara, Africa, and Asia reinforced the reputation of the “chevron” brand.

An heir to this tradition, this Rallye Raid version of the ZX was a great success among great marathon races.

Peugeot Frères Price Catalogue in Cyrillic – 1896

Commercial Brochure presenting the Citroën XM – 1989

Commercial Brochure presenting the Citroën XM – 1989

When a vehicle is commercialized, the sales network receives a booklet presenting the rage of engine specifications, the technical characteristics, and the levels of finishings.

These brochures, translated into multiple languages, are distributed throughout all the brands’ sales locations (branches, agencies, dealerships), in France and abroad.

Edmond Hée dealership, presentation hall for Peugeot cycles and motorcycles – 1935

Edmond Hée dealership, presentation hall for Peugeot cycles and motorcycles – 1935

The need more a specialized commercial network quickly became clear. It now reaches all over the world.

Sales and after-sales locations must meet specific visual standards. Before any new dealership is set up, an installation study is made by a specific department located at the Grande Armée site in Paris.

Paris Motor Show – 1957

Paris Motor Show – 1957

Motor shows are excellent opportunities to make the general public aware of all the carmakers’ new products. They’re also a remarkable publicity springboard which enable a brand to put forward its flagship products, like the Simca Aronde which you see in the foreground: this stock car set several records in 1952, covering more than 100,000 km at an average of 113 km/h on the Montlhéry race track.