Ok, so there’s a part two. And maybe more? But here is Brad again, saying the same things as before — the world turns and we turn with it! — with new visuals. For Chanel No. 5, in case you haven’t been paying attention.
Advertisement
Recent reviews
Perfumista lists
Favorite articles
37 Comments
Read more about commenting at Now Smell This.
Taking a mini-break in a day gone totally berserk!
I haven’t watched Part 2 yet, but yesterday morning on the Today Show, their panel of “experts” – Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Star Jones, and Donnie Deutsch discussed the Chanel ad. The consensus was that they loved it! Deutsch owns a major advertising agency so his opinion carried weight. I was surprised that he gave it such high praise.
I was tempted to email them to say, “Yeah, but perfumistas hated it!”
But it wasn’t just perfumistas who hated it…it’s been widely ridiculed in the press. There is already a small but growing body of parodies on YouTube. Conan showed it straight up, to general audience laughter.
Some people feel it was worth the 7 mill just to get the publicity, but I don’t think it is “good” for Chanel to have potential consumers laughing at their latest ad on Conan.
I can’t help but wonder if part 2 was hastily thrown together after the fact? We’ll never know.
No, I agree – any publicity *isn’t* good publicity, especially in a luxury brand when it cost $7 mil. I haven’t seen the parodies. I’ll have to look for them!
Robin: what you said there about the second ad just being thrown together was exactly what I was thinking as I watched it. I can imagine a frantic all-nighter to get something out quickly. Just enough of the Brad part to not turn their backs on a bad choice, but it was too “clippy”, though, better than the first one. At least it had some style.
I agree that not all publicity is good. Yes, you may remember a particularly bad or ridiculous commercial, but that doesn’t mean you will buy the product. There have been times I consciously chose not to buy a product because I intensely disliked an ad campaign.
The BP commercial needs no parody – it already is!
Some truth in that! But it’s easy to parody, so it will get parodied
Actually one of the funniest was last night on “Chelsey Handler”. They showed the ad and then couldn’t decide if it was serious. Basically it was one long discussion of WHF is it selling?
Will see if I can find it on YouTube, thanks!
Some are up on Basenotes front page..good laughs!
If we don’t find out if ad no.# was thrown together after the fact, we have a possible Chanelgate on ours hands.
What I find suspicious is that these almost seem like random outtakes from other commercials. But I don’t watch enough commercials to recognize them.
Also, would have thought that if they were doing a “real” part two, they wouldn’t have used the exact same wording.
Thats one huge improvement. And the words don’t sound as stupid with the changing visuals to pick up the slack.
I agree — better than the original. But to me, still not very good.
Yeah, kind of went from laughable to mediocre.
If the Gucci Premiere TV ad and Calvin Klein Obsession TV ads had a kid it would be this (awful) ad.
Hahaha…. so true! You hit it right on the head, and deserve a cookie
The parodies are better imo, lol.
There has been some ideas of people submitting their own video on perfume sites and having a No.5 perfume giveaway..I think it’s a great idea. Get a husband or friend to do it..I am sure there will be much better videos!
Btw I liked the interview with a vampire parody. I am a vampire..LOL
The Conan parody is great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N-EIjcOBCA
Could people paste the links in if they see other good ones?
This one was Kevin’s favorite: simple but it works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdaENzYS_qo
That is very funny! Poor chanel.
Omgosh!!!!!! HAHAHAHA! I laughed SO loud! Love the fly at the end! LOL
Thank you, you made my day!!!
Reminds me of a famous experiment by a Russian pioneer of cinema (Directed Potemkin, whose crucial scenes were shamelessy ripped off in the film version of the Untouchables).
This Director filmed a few actors with various facial expressions, wide eyed, looking down etc. Then he spliced very different shots in between. The audience then interperted the same exact close up of the actors as looking horrifed, depressed happy, depending on whether the spliced shot was of a person being killed, a cute baby etc. In other words, the exact same facial shot was seen as having entirely different meaning depending on what the audience believed the actor was reacting to.
So, if the director told Brad, “just look to the side as if you are remembering something, breathe deep, look down” those close ups either look like nonsensical ramblings, or the very logical reaction of an actor afraid of getting bitten by an aggressive fly while trying to deliver some bizzare lines with a straight face.
So
Good one!
This second ad is better, though not much. What I don’t get about this either, in using Brad Pitt, why they make the ad so grey and sad? He is a “golden boy”, Chanel always uses that stylized golden aura in their ads. I think all of us are thinking of a hundred different ways they could have done it.
I think Channel always planned to release version no. 2. (The model is shot from a distance and has the same coloring and figure as Jolie). Some genuis at the advertizing agency probably thought it would be fun to stir up some early publicity and controversy by releasing the “Brad” section separately first.
I supposed it worked, since the mediocre completed ad is better but forgettable.
Doesn’t Brad have an agent, who is supposed to keep from looking unintentionally ridiculous?
It’s a shame the Old Spice man is contractually obligated to another fragrance firm. I think he could make a much better advertisement for Channel. These Channel fragrance commercials are too pretentious…they need a little whimsy…
I love the fly!
Help us!!! The Pitt advert is ridiculous, dopey, over-acted, and a shame to the Chanel brand. I don’t know what the advertising agency was thinking when they came up with this dud. It makes me sick and I change channels when ever it appears. Bleeechhhhh!!!!!
I rather liked this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMscWPr–XI
It’s that last “Inevitable” that really pushes me over the edge. If the dialogue had had something decent for the last line, it could have been bearable. That vacillating lighting and the lack of music also made it the first one creepy. You’ll notice they added music to the second one.
Now, this is a good fragrance ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TioGP9mWahA&feature=player_detailpage
Someone posted this at MUA.
Mademoiselle Chanel may be clapping her hands wherever she is!
It’s even inspired a Dutch parody, created by a local channel. Apparently the speaker normally announces the weather.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdYBHYmGsWU
I can’t wait to search out the parodies! These ads have me so puzzled. I like Brad Pitt. I think he’s an honorable man who tries to do good with his celebrity. I’m shocked he OK’d this copy. I feel bad for him…well, almost.