Director: Paul Gore
Agency: Mademoiselle Noi, Paris
Click here to see the ad on YouTube
This irritatingly catchy TV ad was commissioned by Paris-based agency Mademoiselle Noi and directed by Paul Gore. Gore has worked on similar campaigns for ‘cool’ lifestyle companies such as Diesel and Lacoste, and has also directed music videos for DJ Shadow, Massive Attack and Snow Patrol.
Paco Rabanne is a fashion designer who made his name in the 1960s with flamboyant designs using unconventional materials, mainly plastics and precious metals. Like most of the big fashion houses, he also makes fragrances for men and women, no doubt due to the huge margins to be made fulfilling the desires of middle- and working-class people to be associated with otherwise unobtainable brands. Other big hitters in the fashion/fragrance market include Calvin Klein, Diesel, Chanel, Lacoste, Christian Dior, Gucci, Hugo Boss and Yves Saint Laurent.
Like most other top-end fragrance products, Paco Rabanne’s “1 Million” is sold as a gateway into a lifestyle that is probably out of your reach. In this particular TV advert, a sickeningly handsome male model prances around for the camera, clicking his fingers to the syncopated beats of the Chemical Brothers’ excellent “Do It Again”. It is beautifully shot by Paul Gore and could easily be a pop music video. To film in black and white was an obvious choice and is something seen regularly in fragrance commercials, giving the product an air of class and timelessness. Colour is introduced sparingly; the golden light from the fireworks illuminates the model’s face, making him look even more perfect; the hideous gold-ingot shaped bottle is shown in full colour at the end. The model, Matt Gordon, exudes a confidence that is more than a little arrogant, as well he might, given that when he clicks his fingers he gets exactly what he wants:
*click* and a vintage sports car appears.
*click* a glass of whiskey, no doubt a very old and expensive single malt.
*click* a spinning roulette wheel. Of course he wins.
*click* a bag of money.
*click* and he gets the attention of the beautiful woman.
*click* and her clothes fall to the floor.
*click* and with a knowing look to camera the lights go out. You know exactly what he’s up to now. Jammy bastard.
The action is punctuated throughout by brief shots of assembled paparazzi, snapping away eagerly at everything our hero does. He is at once Bond, Beckham and Depp – men want to be him and women want to fuck him. Some of the men want to fuck him too, perhaps even some of the straight ones.
This advert is aimed at men aged 18 to 30, most likely single men who are on the pull. They hope that wearing 1 Million will help them get the car, the money, the beautiful woman. Even if they are ugly. Paco Rabanne is offering them the chance to dream, to buy into a lifestyle. Thing is all the brand claims are just suggested – no-one implicitly states that wearing this fragrance will bring you success. In fact, the voiceover that comes at the very end simply says “1 Million. The new fragrance for men, by Paco Rabanne.”
I think that’s the bigger picture here; Paco Rabanne is giving you an affordable way to associate yourself with his exclusive brand. Like all the big fashion houses, I seriously doubt he would really want the likes of you or I to wear his clothes, for fear of devaluing the brand (think chavs and Burberry), so he throws us a bone and makes millions in the process. Everyone’s a winner.
I can’t imagine that the briefs for fragrance ads vary wildly – give the peasants a glimpse of a better world and suggest they can have a piece of it for around thirty quid. Words like “exclusive” and “aspirational” were probably bandied around at board meetings. There is no humour in the piece, because humour is not cool. Is there ever humour in a fragrance ad? Certainly the conventions are very much being adhered to. It is however slightly surprising that they have gone with a relatively unknown lead, when many of their rivals opt for Hollywood A-listers like Charlize Theron (Dior), Brad Pitt (Chanel) and Nicole Kidman (Chanel).
The TV ads were shown on all the main TV channels, particularly around Christmas, when the majority of fragrance purchases are made. They were backed up by a prominent poster and print ad campaign. I swear that when I see the image I instantly hear the music in my head and want to punch the next pretty bloke that I see. Is it just me?
The actual brief was probably something like:
Create a 30-second TV commercial that appeals to men aged 18-30, reinforcing the Paco Rabanne brand as exclusive and desirable. It should be memorable and beautiful and give the audience the impression of a luxury lifestyle that they can buy into. You might want to look at popular music videos for inspiration.
No comments:
Post a Comment