From May 13th to June 2nd, 2025, French bananas will be taking center stage in three Parisian train stations. A new communication campaign will highlight their status as France's favorite brand.
© UGPBANSaint-Lazare station campaign
Posters in stations and distribution of bananas
For three consecutive weeks, French bananas will be on display at the Saint-Lazare station from May 13th to 20th, then at Montparnasse station from May 21st to 27th, and finally at Gare de Lyon from May 28th to June 2nd. At the Saint-Lazare station, seven billboards in a row were displayed with a series of close-ups and zoom effects accompanied by the slogan: "Favorite brand of the French for afar…and from up close." "An artistic gamble to create a striking and aesthetic visual for bananas of Guadeloupe and Martinique," explains Pierre Monteux, director of the Union of Banana Producers of Guadeloupe and Martinique (UGPBAN). The campaign will reach more than 15.5 million people.
© UGPBAN Saint-Lazare Station
Additionally, French bananas will also be distributed to the public at the train stations: on May 14th at Saint-Lazare, on May 23rd at Montparnasse, and on June 2nd at Gare de Lyon to close the campaign. During the distribution period, additional visual support will be provided with dynamic displays on selected screens along the route to the distribution hall.
© UGPBAN Saint-Lazare station
"We try to test new media with each new campaign"
After appearing in the Paris metro in 2021 and on the walls of the city with a giant mural in 2023, the French banana will this time appear in train stations. "It has become something of a tradition," explains Pierre Monteux. "For the past few years, we have been running public awareness campaigns in the spring and autumn months, and we try to test new media for each campaign with a focus on novelty and originality. This year, we chose train stations, which are extremely busy places, hubs of life, exchange, and commerce."
© UGPBAN Saint-Lazare station
"Maintaining and strengthening the link with consumers"
According to the director of UGPBAN, these campaigns are necessary to maintain the link with consumers. "It is not about increasing our market share but about maintaining and strengthening the bond of affection that unites us with French consumers," explains Pierre Monteux. With 185,000 tons sold last year and a rapidly growing French banana segment (40,000 tons in 2024 with a target of 50,000 tons in 2026), the sector finds itself in a rather paradoxical situation. "Production will remain stable this year, and we sometimes have a shortage of bananas." But the pressure of black leaf disease continues to increase during periods of rain. "There lies the contradiction: production constraints are severe and limit us, even though the commercial opportunities are there. In this competitive environment, we must continue to communicate, even if we are not fighting for the lowest price, as we could not afford to do so given our volumes and prices that would be far too low."
