Spike Jonze sequels "Weapon of Choice" ... for a perfume ad?

Well, it sure is entertaining.

nofilmscool.com shared this video with a commentary about how ads for organic social media are getting more and more cinematic:

This one, for France's Kenzo perfumery, is directed by Spike Jonze. He's one of an increasing number of film directors being recruited to do branded entertainment for consumer companies.

Let's face it: This video is awesome. The woman, played by Margaret Qualley, is bored of stiff formality. She breaks out of reality does an awesome solo (mostly) dance — choreographed by Ryan Heffington — through a vast empty lobby.

Sound familiar?

Yeah, that was Jonze's work for Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice," back in 2001. It's one of the best music videos ever made.

And now, its child is selling perfume.

Thanks to Justin for the tip.

Is this Cavalli logo an appropriated Sufi symbol?

Via The Fashion Law

See that fake tattoo on Georgia May Jagger's neck?

Okay, now mentally rotate it 90 degrees. What does it look like? To an entire sect of Sufi Muslims, it looks like this:

Via MTO

Followers of The Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi School of Sufi Islam are outraged at seeing their emblem in a sexualized advertising campaign. They've launched a Twitter hashtag campaign, #takeoffjustlogo, as well as a petition.



I have written frequently about the problem of commercial appropriation of cultural symbols. And I think I've established myself as a critic of Islamophobia. But as a branding professional, I think this outrage is completely mistaken.

The logo is clearly a stylized "JC" monogram. There is no extra elaboration. "Just" JC.

I firmly believe that the logo designer was completely unaware of any similarity with the Sufi symbol, and it takes a concerted effort to see it:

Via Allvoices

So what's the big deal? One of the anti-Cavalli campaign organizers, American doctoral student Nasim Bahadorani, said "We have this sign that to us represents blessed peace. It's a refuge … To see it disgraced like this for a company to make money is heartbreaking."

But really? There are only so many ways to create symbols in the world. As much as this one means to The Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi School, and as much as their religious sensibilities are real, this accidental sort-of similarity ranks pretty low in the problems of the world. At least in my opinion.

Cavalli can choose to withdraw the logo if they want to, and they may if they feel the bad PR will influence their key target audiences. But for now, the brand is appealing to the European Union's trademark and design authority, the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM).

From Reuters:

"Roberto Cavalli SpA is deeply saddened by the distress expressed by the Sufist School students, but hopes that the sentence emitted by a competent authority such as the OHIM, will convince the Sufist religion of the complete good faith and the groundlessness of their requests," the company said this week in a statement.

Ironically, Roberto Cavalli was the subject of some much more warranted religious outrage back in 2004, when he produced a line of bikinis featuring classical Indian images of Hindu gods. Cavalli apologized and withdrew the swimwear from stores following protests in the UK.

Snooki's media placement more interesting than her ad

Every once in a while, I see something good on Funny or Die, but the lowbrow video site definitely has a following.

That's why I found it really interesting that Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi of Jersey Shore has chosen to advertise her new perfume exclusively on the site.

The Scent of Snooki from Snooki

With over 43,000 views so far, this video was uploaded and sponsored by Snooki's own account. It's kind of funny, if much too long, as it lampoons Calvin Klein. But the real interest I have is how successful she will be in a medium that:

- Is difficult to embed (I had to swipe source code)
- Is unviewable on iPhones and iPads (which won't play Flash)
- Is only going to be seen by a specific segment online

But perhaps that's the whole point of the brand. After all, she sure knows her target.

Perfume pill lets women sweat (sorry, "perspire") designer scent

My agency colleague (and part-time fashion blogger) Amanda sent me this "ad" for Lucy McRae Swallowable Parfum:



The McRae blog says,

"Swallowable Parfum is a digestible scented capsule that emits a unique odor through your own perspiration. Excreted through the skin's surface the body becomes an atomizer; a biologically enhanced second skin synthesized directly from the natural processes of the body.
Swallowable Parfum is a provocative campaign developed alongside synthetic biologist Sheref Mansy initialised to open discussion with the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, fashion and technology industries."

So, is this a product or is it art?

McRae describes herself as:

"...an Australian artist straddling the worlds of fashion, technology and the body. As a body Architect she invents and builds structures on the skin that re-shape the human silhouette. Her provocative and often grotesquely beautiful imagery suggests a new breed; a future human archetype existing in an alternate world
Trained as a classical ballerina and architect her work inherently fascinates with the human body. The media call her inventor, friends call her a trailblazer. Either way, she relies on instinct to evolve an extraordinary visual path that is powerful, primal and uniquely Lucy McRae."

From the press release in the Swallowable Perfume site:

"Amid growing rhetoric around the body as the new frontier for technological advancement,
Swallowable parfum by internationally celebrated body architect Lucy McRae, is a digestible
scented capsule that breaks entirely new ground in the science of human instinct.
Once absorbed, the capsule enables the skin to become a platform, an atomizer; A biologically enhanced second skin synthesized directly from the natural processes of the body. Fragrance molecules are excreted through the skins surface during perspiration, leaving tiny droplets on the skin that emanate a unique odor. The potency of scent is determined by each individual’s acclimatization to temperature, stress, exercise, or sexual arousal. 

Swallowable Parfum is a capsule that enables human skin to emit a genetically unique scent
about who we are, and how we perform our identities. A provocative campaign initialised to open discussion with the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, fashion and technology industries, challenges the way we consume parfum in the future. After working for four years as a body architect at Philips Design in a far future research program exploring emotional sensing and part of a team who claims our bodies are a platform for technology, this cosmetic capsule is part of an on going exploration that re-defines the role of skin. 

Lucy McRae teams up with acclaimed synthetic biologist Sheref Mansy and are currently
in research phase to develop a capsule that consists of synthesied fragrant lipid molecules
that mimic the structure of normal fat molecules naturally found in the body. The human body has enzymes that metabolise fat in a series of steps that free lipids and lipid-like molecules from their scaffolds. Swallowable Parfum takes advantage of these natural enzymes found in our bodies to release fragrant molecules from larger structures. Subsequently, the liberated fragrant molecules are excreted through the skin’s surface during perspiration."

Again, product or art? I guess it's up to just what you're willing to swallow.

'80s music video mogul manages to make Scarlett Johansson bland

Dolce & Gabbana describe this short film (or way-too-long ad, depending on your perspective):

"Dolce & Gabbana presents the new uncut The One film, revealing the provocative yet effortless femininity of the eternal diva."

Their idea of "effortless femininity" is dolling up Scarlett Johansson like Marilyn Monroe and having her deliver a series of ditzy one-liners to fake reporters in an apparent drunken haze.

It was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, a French fashion photog who was a big cheese in music videos during MTV's golden age. (You can see his style in David Bowie'd "Never Let Me Down", Bryan Ferry's "Slave To Love", Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer" and Madonna's "Justify My Love", among others.)

This spot, however, is boring and trite. And it's a real waste of a perfectly good talent like Scarlett Johansson.

Emma Watson's new Lancôme spot is like an awful '80s music video

Via BuzzFeed:



It really is. Don't believe me? Let's set the wayback machine to "suck":







Had enough?



Okay. My point is made.

F'd Ad Fridays: It's b-a-a-a-d

Via Vintage Ad Browser

You've got to hand it to the 1970s: Subtlety was just not their thing.

Justin Bieber: Living, loving and advertising without irony

"So, what if we took this brand, this preteen heart-throb brand called 'Bieber', and extended it to a starter perfume? Then we market it with the ultimate pubescent girl fantasy of Bieber entering the bedroom, taking the girl flying in the air, and kissing her on the neck?"

"Kissing her on the neck?"

"Then she rides him from behind—fully dressed! Yeah, yeah! It's chaste, but plays into their immature and non-threatening ideas about sex. Plus, the whole thing has a PG vampire feel. Like Twilight..."

"But with Bieber!!!"

"Exactomundo. Use the perfume, get a non-penetrative seduction from flying vampire Bieber."

"You don't think the kids will find it a little... much?"

"Bieber fans, man. Unironic as they come. At least the straight little girl ones. I don't think the cougars and gay dudes will buy this shit anyway."

"Brilliant! Let's shoot this fucker...."