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Marilyn Monroe blockbuster from Chanel focuses attention on bespoke WPP agency Plus
Is this the first work from WPP’s new bespoke agency for Chanel, Plus? Well it’s certainly grabbed lots of attention with what purports to be previously unreleased bits from Marilyn Monroe about her favourite bedtime attire (the famous No.5 fragrance).
Good for Plus if it was. If it wasn’t, why does Chanel need the agency? Could be cost of course, in this ‘Math Men’ era.
I saw this over the weekend, at first watch it made me feel slightly uneasy how advertising has taken a timeless, legendary quote never intended to be used for marketing purposes and exploited its meaning to shift perfume at Christmas.
Everyone knows Monroe said this famous line, it doesn’t need advertising because its viral nature ensures it lives in her mythology and has benefitted Chanel for many years by association. The line was never about perfume, it was about Marilyn Monroe.
Its a shame then that bringing it into a 30″ Christmas ad completely pops that bubble forever.
I suspect that people will no longer recount the “All I wear in bed…” anecdote in the same way, because conventional wisdom will now be that it was taken from an advert and it will cease to be a classy line given innocently in an interview.
Sadly, this perfume ad stinks.
How long before we see Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom…” used in a Johnnie Walker advert..?