If you weren't expecting to cry over a car commercial today, join the club. As someone who has never heard of French car company Renault, I definitely wasn't prepared for the emotional roller coaster that is its latest ad. The two-minute spot is all about the new Renault Clio car that's "30 years in the making." It's also about a love story 30 years in the making between two women who grew up as best friends, realized their romantic love for each other in their young-adult years, and then hesitantly parted ways after a lack of family acceptance and, seemingly, a pressure to conform (one of the women attends the other's wedding to a man). Ultimately, they find their way back to each other to be who they really are and with who they really love.
The cinematic ad is set to a melancholy cover of "Wonderwall" by Rahel Debebe-Dessalegne, which naturally takes the emotional factor up a lot of notches. While the commercial is undeniably a tearjerker, it's drawing mixed reactions on the internet.
On the one hand, it's great to see an LGBTQ+ love story represented in a national ad campaign, and on the other hand, a company presenting itself as championing gay rights with the ultimate goal of selling a car rubs some people the wrong way. Is it too on the nose for an automobile company to compare its innovations to the progress of LGBTQ+ acceptance? One thing's for sure: we were not expecting this quick commercial to take such a heartwarming turn. Watch it for yourself above, and see a few of the reactions floating around on Twitter ahead.
