A new poster campaign launched by car hire firm, Sixt, could find the company in trouble with the French President and his wife. The ads have been launched to encourage customers to choose a Citroen C3 hatchback, one of Citroen’s smallest hatchbacks, as their next rental vehicle. However, the posters have raised more than a few eyebrows because the feature a picture of Nicholas Sarkozi, 5ft 5in, with his wife, Carla Bruni, 5ft 10in, and a slogan suggesting that people should act like the former supermodel and choose a ’small French model’.

The campaign has been defended by Sixt’s French president, Jean-Philippe Doyen, who said it was all meant in the spirit of fun. He also pointed out that after such a miserable year, the car rental business deserved to have a bit of fun.

France’s first couple may not see the campaign in the same light. In the past they have not been afraid to sue companies that have used their images without permission. Last year, no-frills carrier, Ryanair, was told to pay £50,000 in damages for using an image of Carla Bruni on one of its campaigns.

Even French companies have not been immune. Clothing brand, Pardon, was sued after it printed a nude image of Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy on a bag. Alongside the image was a caption suggesting that Mr Sarkozy might like to buy some clothes from one of their stores to give to his wife.

Discussion about the couple’s difference in height often appears in the press. Mr Sarkozy is well known for wearing height-enhancing footwear when out with his wife, and even has a footstool he uses when delivering speeches from podiums named after him - the ‘Sarkozy step’.