Renault takes a whole day’s ad space in The Independent

Renault has bought up all advertising space in this Friday’s edition of The Independent, to promote the launch of its Mégane model.

The deal, believed to be worth about £250,000, is a first for The Independent and was brokered by Renault media agency Carat and the newspaper’s in-house creative sales team Independent Solutions.

Renault will be the only advertiser in the main section, taking 14 mono and ten colour spaces. Several of the ads will contain a half-quote about Mégane. The quotes can be completed with the aid of a drop-out sheet in the centre of the paper.

Readers who complete the quotes will be able to enter a prize draw, with the first prize being the use of a Mégane for a year.

The Independent has previously worked with Renault to create the largest advertising space ever offered by a broadsheet – an eight-page double gatefold – in May (MW May 23).

Marketing stunts undertaken by clients and newspapers in the past include Microsoft’s tie-up with The Times in August 1995 to launch Windows 95. Microsoft paid for all advertising spaces in The Times and for the newspaper to be given away free, together with a supplement.

Cable & Wireless bought all colour ad space in national titles and contracted for the Daily Star to be printed in yellow in September 1997, while Pepsi-Cola paid for the Daily Mirror to be printed in blue for the UK relaunch of Pepsi in April 1996.