Bleu de Chanel

BLOG 2

An elegant man runs across a street of New York, following a mysterious young lady. Suddenly the man appears in a press conference. The atmosphere is blue and really deep. The man doesn’t seem to notice the journalists: Indeed, he is too much preoccupied by the beautiful lady. But then another woman appears and after 55 seconds of advertisement, we still don’t know what the video is about.  What does it mean?

© Bleu de Chanel - CHANEL

Chanel is famous and don’t need to promote itself anymore. With Celebrity endorsement (which is probably the favourite marketing tool of Chanel) Chanel tries to create a new image, less conventional. And they choose the French actor Gaspard Ulliel to be “the man”:  A man who is supposed to represent freedom, and to “be unexpected”. A rebel with his conviction:

"I'm not going to be the person I'm expected to be anymore”

This is the slogan of this Chanel advert. But although Chanel wants to have a younger image with the handsome Gaspard Ulliel, teenage girls are probably more convicted by this advert than 25 to 45 years old man. Indeed, Chanel wanted to be more mysterious, but maybe too much…

It is difficult to get the meaning of this advert by watching it just once (and when you watch the longer version it’s even worse). And rather than enjoy the little Chanel story, the consumer is trying to understand the advert.

Chanel doesn’t have to be introduced anymore, of course, but the product isn’t present at all in the video. Only the colour blue cans remind us the product (If we already know the product of the advert of course).

So yes, the advert is well filmed, and respects the attention to detail of Chanel (even though sometimes some scenes are a bit messy and disappointing). Yes, the atmosphere is well done, with a deep blue, a rebellious man and a good choice of music (« She said yeah » from The Rolling Stones). Yes, the customer cans have the desire to be like Gaspard Ulliel, free and rebellious.

But in my point of view this advert can’t be really understood at the first watch. The scenario is too deep (and it makes the advert too messy, not really clear), cultural references are too much hide and the brand is absolutely missing. They choose an attractive actor, to rejuvenate the brand and touch a new public but the advert is less exceptional that it wants to be.

I agree that the advert is well filmed, well directed and that Chanel knows how to be class, smart and renew its image but they shouldn’t forget to add the perfume in the story next time…

Long version (1:01)

© Bleu de Chanel - CHANEL

Short version (0:30)

© Bleu de Chanel - CHANEL

Credits

Announcer:  Chanel

Product: perfume

Realisator: Martin Scorsese

Music : She said yeah - The Rolling Stones

Actor: Gaspard Ulliel

Country : France

2010