Electric leads Renault
Renault opens first rnlt concept store in London
The French carmaker has brought its global rnlt concept store to London’s Battersea Power Station. Car Design News attended the launch and spoke to chief marketing and branding officer Arnaud Belloni
Sitting on Electric Boulevard within the recently transformed Battersea Power Station grounds, the new rnlt concept store is home to the brands latest electric models as well as accessories and products from the Originals Collection.
The space aims to provide potential customers with an immersive experience of the Renault brand with up to four vehicles on display, plus quirky touches like a vinyl bar (in partnership with Sony Music) and the Renault 5 Turbo 3E concept being on show (until 21st September).
A colourful display of yellow and green welcomes customers as they step into the space, which is purposefully smaller than a traditional Renault showroom (at just over 200 sq. meters) in order to get into the heart of the community.
CDN sat down with chief marketing and branding officer Arnaud Belloni to learn more about Renault’s brand building and customer experience goals.
Car Design News: How are you positioning Renault as a brand and what makes the brand different?
Arnaud Belloni: Five years ago, I received instructions from the management to do all I can to fix the Renault image before the launch of the Renault 5. For me, I did this by considering each launch as a brand builder, so we invested massively in creativity, advertising etc. We decided to create great stand in motors shows, we developed the merchandising story, we redesigned the mobile websites and more.
Renault is becoming more and more unique. It’s easy for us to be unique and genuine when you go back to your legacy.
CDN: What are you trying to communicate through the design of the space?
AB: We are first trying to communicate our brand and legacy. I looked at the [store] design of the likes of Nike and Dyson to learn about the way they displayed their products, the lighting etc. Then I explained to the team that these stores are first explaining the brand, then the product and then the technology. It’s a slow life strategy and not a hard push.
CDN: Did you work with the automotive design team to make sure it feels coherent and true to the brand?
AB: I was for sure influenced [by the car design team] because my job starts after the designer. So as a creative director, twice a year I want to see everything that will happen in the future of Renault, so [the car designers] come to me with the car and I have influence. Sometimes I’m the guy influencing the colours – I said with the Twingo we are going to launch it in green because the original one was green.
My job is like a director in a movie, so I create great stories.
