Luxury Brand PR: Chanel N°5, Always a Romantic Story

French, beautiful, the very personification of the Chanel N°5 spirit and a much better choice to represent the luxury brand than Nicole Kidman, Audrey Tautou is the new actress for the always luxuriant Chanel N°5 commercial. The commercial was released this year in May, and it is undoubtedly the best fashion and beauty commercial of the year. The romantic story of two lovers, united by the most sensual and most feminine fragrances ever created, brilliantly directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, was shot (shoot lasted 3 weeks and involved 250 people) in the famous Orient Express.

“I’ve always loved night trains and their magic: its the perfect opportunity to create an encounter in suspended time.” the director said. “I really liked the idea of a woman meeting a man. They both think about each other, but continue on with their own lives, left with the regret that they didn’t make contact with the other person. I love to play with destiny and coincidences… I knew that the story would revolve around the mesmerizing effect of the scent in the womans wake. We had to give voice to the intangible.”

The synopsis is simple: Tautou, who first charmed moviegoers in Jeunet’s 2001 hit Amélie, first crosses Davenport aboard the train. Later, both unable to sleep, he lingers outside her cabin. In Istanbul, Tautou misses a riverboat, only to photograph it later from another ship, revealing Davenport on its deck.

The ad, which recalls the vibrant colors of Amélie, plays out to Billie Holiday’s lilting track “I’m a Fool to Want You” and closes with a shot of the couple embracing, standing atop Chanel’s logo formed in a mosaic.

A brilliant synopsis, flawlessly transported on the screen, that manages to convey the era and the spirit of Gabrielle Chanel. Gorgeous Art Deco aesthetics, atemporal outfits reflecting Chanel’s casual style, yet somehow very contemporary, this commercial is everything the Chanel brand represents: class, luxury, the eternal feminine.