Hasta La Creative!

When Chanel hired Brad Pitt as its first spokesman for its signature fragrance, Chanel No. 5, the choice seemed in keeping with the glamorous brand, which had used Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou as spokeswomen in the past. But where those ladies starred in ads that were gorgeous mini-films, Mr. Pitt’s commercial has turned out to confuse many viewers.

All the same Chanel No. 5 landed near the top of the Viral Video Chart this week, as its official spot and many spoofs combined to give videos involving the brand 7.4 million views — proving that sometimes even something deemed by most as pretty bad can easily drive awareness, as long as it stars a man twice named “Sexiest Man Alive.”

The copy-driven spot has Mr. Pitt talking about … well, that’s still not clear. To be fair, the language isn’t so far off from rambling fragrance commercials that have come before. But as Mr. Pitt goes on about journeys and fate, the audience sees him look this way from an oddly lit corner, instead of (like most fragrance commercials) other imagery that tells a bit more of a story. As a result, the whole thing is awkward, confusing and ripe for parody.

Continue reading at AdAge.com