What I Found After Spending Too Long on the Paris Metro

This was not something I picked up in class. It felt more like a side quest.

After spending what felt like half this trip riding the Paris Metro, I started noticing a small cartoon rabbit quietly appearing on doors, screens, and escalators. And the more time I spent underground, the more curious I became. I ended up going into a bit of a deep dive.

His name is Serge le Lapin (Serge the Rabbit) and he might be one of the most quietly effective brand characters I have ever encountered.

How I Was Introduced to Serge

Serge was first introduced on February 15, 1977, by illustrator Anne Le Lagadec, who created him to warn young passengers about the danger of getting their fingers caught in train doors. She chose a rabbit because it felt gentle, vulnerable, and easy to relate to. He started on Line 1 and eventually expanded across the entire RATP network. Since then, Serge has evolved while keeping his core identity intact. In 1986, designer Serge Maury gave him a toy-like makeover, including a brighter outfit to appeal to children. Then in 2014, branding agency 4uatre refreshed him again, updating his appearance and the environments he appears in to match the modern Metro system. Today, Serge also reminds passengers not to stand too close to escalator edges or block platform doors.

What makes Serge so effective is his tone. He is not loud or authoritarian. He does not interrupt or demand attention. He is embedded in the system, offering quiet, consistent guidance that fits seamlessly with the values of the space. You might miss him if you are not looking, but that subtlety is part of the appeal.

Serge's Rebranding Over the Years

Coming from New York, where holding subway doors is practically a competitive reflex, Serge felt like a cultural reset. In Paris, there is a clear value placed on rhythm, efficiency, and collective responsibility. And rather than scolding riders into compliance, the Metro relies on a rabbit who simply reminds people to be more mindful.

Over time, Serge has become more than a mascot. His image has taken on a kind of cult status, and there is even official merchandise featuring him. You can now find Serge on socks, mugs, plush keychains and more as part of the RATP La Lignecollection, which is permanently available at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann in the “Souvenirs de Paris” section. What started as a temporary pop-up has become a fixed part of the city’s cultural storytelling. He is not just a safety figure anymore. He is part of how Paris brands itself.

Various Serge Merchandise

This field intensive has been full of lessons about branding in different forms. At Versailles, we saw how Louis XIV used storytelling, architecture, and symbolism to build a personal brand of power and permanence. At Havas Village, my team developed a campaign for KFC shaped by cultural insight and strategic relevance. And at dsm-firmenich, we explored how fragrance can deepen emotional connections in ways words cannot.

Serge ties all of that together. He is a behavioral brand that guides without preaching. He is built on empathy, sustained through consistency, and embraced over time through trust.

Sometimes, the most powerful branding is not the kind that commands attention. It is the kind that earns it over time.