Eight days in the snow with BNP!
Because sport is a major social phenomenon, generates significant economic activity and is particularly popular with young people, BNP is fully invested in this area. In the 1970s, the bank’s name was associated with major sporting events, from the Tour de France to ski competitions. It was in this decade that the French cartoonist Paul Coutant created a particularly “dynamic” little character. Welcome to the “Dynamic people: BNP” series!
BNP, the bank for dynamic people
Following in the footsteps of BNCI, which had been following the Tour de France cycling race since 1955, BNP extended its commitments to sports events, seeking to make itself known not just to spectators but to athletes themselves. Through its engagement with sports, the Bank aimed to convey a youthful and vibrant image.
So it was a natural move in 1974 for the Bank to call on the talents of renowned cartoonist Paul Coutant from Pilote magazine to create the little character illustrated here.
As a skier, he was a great success, not only with children but with their parents too!
At the time, children loved to adorn their school bags with stickers, while their dads stuck them on the back of their cars.
To keep the two generations from fighting over the favours of the character, BNP soon had its little guy playing all sorts of sports. Everyone could choose their favourite sport – and also choose BNP, the bank “for dynamic and sporty people”!
Stickers « Pour les dynamiques : la BNP (1974) – Historical Archives of BNP Paribas (Cote : 2IMP/4/11)Strong presence on the roads and on the pistes
BNP travelled the roads of France to follow the major cycling events, including Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Critérium du Dauphiné and du Progrès, and the Tour de France. Branching out, it was the only bank present at the Le Mans 24 Hours race track in 1974, where it ran a bureau de change and handled day-to-day cash transactions.
It was also present at the Tour de France Moto motorbike race, ski competitions (Avoriaz), the French Open at Roland Garros, one of France’s biggest showjumping events (Jump H.E.C.), and the European Basketball Championships in Orléans.
Paul Coutant, an advertising illustrator, worked with René Goscinny on “Kenott et Fûté” in Tintin magazine (1958). He illustrated numerous game pages and advertisements in Tintin, Pilote, Record, Spirou, Journal de Mickey and Pif until the 1980s.
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