Like architects being commissioned to create a building in Dubai or China, I reckon the holy grail for any creative is to be asked to do a perfume or cologne ad.
I swear to god the general consensus is anything goes.
ANYTHING.
Every month, as I trawl through my list of magazines, I stare in amazement at the preposterous, pompous rubbish that fills the pages.
On the bright side, at least most companies have got past their ‘scent strip’ advertisement phase.
Seriously, in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, picking up a magazine in the newsagent made you smell like a whores knickers within 15 seconds – so this is a step in the right direction.
Anyway, a while back I wrote about how mental the Brad Pitt ‘Chanel’ campaign was, well I came across something recently that makes that look like Shakespeare.
Cop a load of this …
Now I know it’s Versace – a brand that thinks matching zebra stripes with gold lame is sophisticated – but seriously, WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. THAT?
Yes I know they’re playing off the whole ‘Eros’ thing [the names cologne/perfume come up with is worth a post of its own someday] but seriously, this is insane.
I should point out I’m not saying ‘insane’ in a bad way.
In fact, it’s so utterly ridiculous, that I think it’s almost good – no seriously – however that’s not the point of this post, it’s just that I’m wondering whether the creatives behind this ad did it as an utter piss-take [which does occasionally happen as some friends of mine once did a Kellogg’s ad that featured – in the background – the sort of imagery that was very family unfriendly] or are such utter daaaaaaarlinks, they think they’ve just created a piece of art rather than a print ad that can double as a comedy sketch.
Where does something like this start?
Surely there can’t be any planning involved?
Oh I could make some up.
How about, ‘In today’s society, where men are feeling more and more undermined, the desire to feel like a warrior [of love?] is highly aspirational.”
Any good?
No, I didn’t think so either.
Anyway, in an industry where more and more creatives feel their creative juices are being stifled by planners, clients, budgets and brand guidelines … my advice to them is to quit adland and get a job in the marketing department of some perfume/cologne brand, because before they know it, they’ll be churning out the sort of mental shit a coke habit and 3 LSD pills a day couldn’t come up with.