Why A Notorious French King Has Been Revived To Boost Solar Energy

August 28, 2023 | 1 min read

Listen to article 4 min

King Louis XIV is being put to work in a spot by Fred & Farid for a French photovoltaic panel provider.

Energy conservation is a growing global issue and France is a leading market for replacements like solar power.

In order to raise awareness of the need to democratize alternative energy sources, Solarbox, the nation’s leading photovoltaic panel provider (that’s solar panels to you and me), partnered with Fred & Farid Los Angeles to develop a TV campaign, ‘Put the Sun to Work.’

Every school child in France grows up learning that the notorious King Louis XIV liked to be referred to as ‘the sun king.’ So in order to push the ‘Put the Sun to Work’ message, the agency used the image of the sun king generating electricity by pedaling a dynamo bike – serving as a metaphor for the sun producing electricity for the entire family through solar panels.