BLOG : ADVERTISING

Sofia Coppola for Dior

By Tom Ran

Published: February 22, 2011 under Advertising

Natalie Portman stars in Sofia Coppola's latest spot for Miss Dior Cherie

Photo: Dior

After watching the :30 second Miss Dior spot directed by Sofia Coppola, we had to wonder whether an extended version exists. Possibly in a French cinema before a midnight screening of Breathless, or maybe on its official site. Given that the last commercial Coppola directed for the fragrance had a lengthier version, we suspect one will show up for this one as well. Though it appears that a thirty second spot seemed long enough for Dior, too much in fact. Shortly after the commercial was posted on Tatler (via Playlist post is back up), it was taken down. Of course we are dealing with the internet here and it has reappeared on YouTube. Watch now.

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Le Apartomatic

By Tom Ran

Published: October 7, 2010 under Advertising

"Le Apartomatic" co-directed by Wes Anderson and Coppola

Photo: Stella Artois

Mother London has been rolling out the “She is a thing of beauty” campaign for Stella Artois since July. Billboards, bus shelters posters and print ads have been spotted throughout the city. They recently added a commercial titled “Le Apartomatic” into the mix co-directed by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola. The commercial features everything you would expect from the duo, references to French pop culture, 60’s fashion and design, and sweet gadgets. More CQ than Hotel Chevalier it’s a campy and amusing ad.

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Levi’s and Braddock PA

By Tom Ran

Published: July 7, 2010 under Advertising

"The Seeds of Change" directed by Aaron Rose. Episode 1 in an 11 part series on Braddock PA

Photo: Levi's Strauss

We first learned about Braddock, PA, through Caledonia Curry’s (Swoon) work on the streets and in an abandoned church of the town. A project which she started in 2008 with friends under the title Points of Interest. Little did we know the press that was associated with Braddock, mainly through its mayor, John Fetterman. A behemoth of a figure that has been reinvigorating and revitalizing its image. Fetterman has appeared in magazines, newspapers, The Colbert Report, and most recently, CBS Sunday Morning over the weekend, putting a spotlight on the forgotten town. His public image has caught the attention of Levi’s. Continuing its Go Forth campaign, the company launched an eleven part series “documenting the new pioneers of Braddock, PA” and investing a million dollars into the town. The first episode “The Seeds of Change” directed by Aaron Rose is now live. It will be interesting to see what becomes of all this media attention, with a town that is without a restaurant, supermarket or even a hospital, it will take a lot to lift Braddock back to its glory days.

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The Directors Bureau

By Tom Ran

Published: May 28, 2010 under Advertising

YSL's Touche Eclat directed by Romain Gavras

Photo: The Directors Bureau

Music videos are all fun and good and great promotional vehicles for artists and directors alike. But what really pay the bills are commercials. Founded in 1996 by Mike Mills and Roman Coppola, The Directors Bureau is a multidisciplinary production company that represents an incredible list of directors including M Blash, Sofia Coppola, Romain Gavras, Geoff McFetridge, Shynola, Aaron Rose, and others. The music videos that come from this group usually make headlines, most recently Romain Gavras’s video for M.I.A. However, when it comes to television adverts, the creators take a back seat while the brand takes precedence. This is where The Director’s Bureau’s archives come in handy, showcasing the directors’ advert portfolios with clients ranging from Cheetos to YSL. Sometimes it’s a welcome like Sofia Coppola’s “Miss Dior Cherie” while other times unexpected, like Aaron Roses’s Clorox commercial. Regardless of your stance on art versus advertising, it’s interesting to see both sides, after all, not everyone can be Ian Mackaye.

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Mike Mills For Old Spice

By Tom Ran

Published: March 27, 2010 under Advertising

Old Spice commercial directed by Mike Mills

Photo: Mike Mills

Mike Mills takes a break from working on his second full length feature, “Beginners,” to direct a comical advert with Wieden and Kennedy for Old Spice. Though the art direction and look may appear to be familiar, it’s the treatment of the commercial that is different from anything we’ve seen before from Mills. Have a look at the absurdity, “Matterhorn” and “Quad.”

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Dwell Advertorial

By Tom Ran

Published: July 13, 2009 under Advertising

Founder of Dwell Magazine, Lara Deam with a nice Phil Frost piece in the background

Photo: Dwell Magazine

Advertorial is a common practice in the publishing world. Now with the web, advertisers and publishers have more ways to produce content with the ultimate goal of selling a product. Dwell recently released its second video with founder Lara Deam in which she selects a series of color palettes from the Ralph Lauren Paint collection. It’s an interesting idea, we just wish it could have been done better. If any Dwell readers or employees are reading this, we’re not hating, we just want something more we can sink our teeth into, this won’t diminish our enthusiasm for the magazine.

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FEATURES

Battersby Brooklyn

By Sarah Williams
Left: Chef Walker Stern Right: Chef Joseph Ogrodnek

Photo: Tuukka Koski

At Battersby, it’s all personal. Chef-owners Walker Stern and Joseph Ogrodnek have a long-standing friendship that’s taken them through culinary school to stints at some of the city’s best restaurants.

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Chuck Miller

By Caroline Hwang
Chuck Miller with his wife Jeanette Miller

Photo: Michael A. Muller

The Meatpacking District in New York is full of beautiful Manhattanites, working professionals, and stylish tourists who are staying at the nearby Gansevoort Hotel and the Standard. So when you…

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Journal: Clift San Francisco

By Michael Muller
Frontside view of the Clift from Geary Street

Photo: Michael A. Muller

On a recent trip to San Francisco, the Clift hotel was the central figure and home base on a quick three-day stay during the onset of autumn in…

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