The Sanfermin Runnings of the Bulls and the bullrunnings in general have been used in a stack of publicity spots, as can be easily seen on the YouTube Channel on Sanfermin. Today, we look back at a TV commercial from 1983 which we came across, made for the prestigious automobile Renault trademark, and its legendary Renault 4 model. In this commercial we can see a bullrunning which was filmed in the town of Candeleda (Ávila) with a yellow Renault 4.
The Running of the bulls features in the final part of this commercial and it attempts to show what appears to be a complete running, just like the Pamplona one, in which the car features as just another runner. We can see how the running of the bulls starts off with the traditional rocket being set off and then it continues through some narrow streets, similar to Estafeta Street, and it comes to an end inside a bullring. The runners are not dressed in the traditional red and white gear, but the bulls and the bell oxen are very similar to those that appear in Pamplona.
It should be remembered that just a year earlier (1982), Spanish national TVE had broadcast the Sanfermin Running of the Bulls live for the first time. This broadcast was repeated once again in 1983 and that year it had a big impact on audience ratings and popularity. It seems clear that the creative staff of the publicity company decided that featuring a running of the bulls would be the perfect outlet for their automobile commercial. The slogan used was “Renault 4, its beauty lies in its mechanics” Even the musical jingle is personalized and reflects exactly the type of music which was in fashion in those years.
This commercial served to promote sales of the Renault 4 in Spain in 1983. This particular model was being made in the FASA Factory in Valladolid. The commercial spot was filmed in different parts in different regions; in Asturias they shot the river scene and the canoes, while in Andalucía they filmed the highway scenes and in the province of Ávila they filmed a running of the bulls, in the town of Candeleda.