In the last few months we have seen some incredibly sensual perfume advertisements, some even banned from viewing on US television, but the question I ask myself are they really sensual? So I am going through three of these advertisements; one only began to be shown yesterday.
Secret Obsession by Calvin Klein
Secret Obession by Calvin Klein is the first to have come out and the one that has been banned so far. I will admit I really like this one. While it does have Eva Mendes writhing around nake, the spoken word of the advertisement is not about a fantasy for male lust, but is in fact a rather nice euphamistic speech for self love. Yes, you see nipple, but it is not titilating rather completely natural. While the male viewer will no doubt enjoy looking at Eva Mendes, the advertisement actually speaks about naked sensuality for oneself.
Shalimar by Guerlain
This is the new campaign for Guerlain's Shalimar. I will begin with the positive: I like the music chosen. Now onto the negative. Natalia Vodianova is without a doubt beautiful, but her type of beauty does not translate well with Shalimar. While Secret Obsession is just as nude as Shalimar in its advertising, I find Shalimar's use of nudity annoying. Let's face when I watched this, all I could think was this advertisement is all about the male viewer, which does not jibe well with me, it screams "Look at hot chick I bagged last night!" Let's face it Shalimar isn't just some hot chick, she is a woman who you end up worshipping because she is provocative, intelligent, mysterious, and who is completely in control of her sensuality, she is a Monica Belucci.
Miss Dior Cherie by Sofia Coppola
Now here is the advertisement I am adoring. It has a story, the sensuality is fully there, maybe it doesn't feature nudity, but there is some definite four-play going on. But what really catches me is the intimacy, these lovers adore each other's warmth, scent, touch. It has been a long time since I saw a commercial for a fragrance that made go "I want that!", I mean it is actually putting a whole new gorgeous spin on Miss Dior Cherie. By the way this was directed by Sofia Coppola.
Secret Obsession uploaded by LeBuzzInfo
Shalimar uploaded by xxtetsuo
Miss Dior Cherie uploaded by leslierathe
5 comments:
I'm pretty much in agreement with you for each one... The Eva Mendez ad is great... I can understand why they can't show the nipple on television but if they blur it out... I don't know maybe its because I lived in France and everyone is naked in the ads over there- I just don't see the big deal.
I liked the ad with Natalia Vodianova but it wasn't appropriate to "Shalimar". There was a disconnect there and I definitely cannot imagine that on television in the US...
Sofia Coppola's ad is great- really cute- although that girl isn't typically who I picture wearing Miss Dior Cherie (Maybe it was wardrobe choice- I see less tank top with bra strap showing and more skirt, blouse and cheeky heels)- the ad was still great...
Maybe part of not really being shocked by the nipple is the fact we are women, but then again men also have nipples. Maybe the reality is nipples are no big deal.
I really enjoyed the Sofia Coppola Ad because it was such a re-interpretation of the scent. I just sprayed a sample just now to see how well it went with this new re-interpretation and it actually goes really well. It is a nice clean musky scent with a hint of strawberry, bizarrely natural in a modern art sort of way. A better fitting bill than the first advertisement. I think Sofia must have actually spent some time with the scent.
This one is easy, and I think you hit the nail on the head. The first two (nearly replicas of each other, though there is more auto-erotic suggestion in the Mendes/Secret Obsession piece) are all about the voyeur; the Miss Dior ad allows a look into the female's world, but doesn't invite you/the observer to be the missing party. Which is just as well, because I trust this gal is happy, and I would want to buy that perfume so I can be in a blissful sexually satisfying relationship like she is.
The other two ring like arty porn.
I guess it could be a question of who you imagine is buying the bottle; perhaps the argument is that men would be inspired by the first two? But doesn't market research show that women represent the vast majority of perfume purchases, including men's fragrances?
Scentscelf,
You added something I forgot to add, market research, women are the buyers of fragrance. There in also lies the genius of the Coppola and somewhat the Secret advertisement, female pleasure is the point.
Just wanted to add another thought: Secret Obsession and Shalimar are both directed by men and Miss Dior Cherie is directed by a woman. I think that plays a great deal into the viewpoint. Man I would love to do a study of perfume commercials based on the sex of the directors.
Cool video with a great commercial advertisements of a perfume.
pheromone cologne
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