H&M goes Gaga for Christmas
H&M has thrown their hat into the Christmas ring with a glamorous new TV spot starring pop royalty Lady Gaga and classic crooner Tony Bennett. The duo are featured singing the classic “It Don't Mean a Thing (if it Ain't got that Swing)” from their debut album Cheek to Cheek, which will be sold in select H&M stores in the US to coincide with the spot, which premiered exclusively on the official H&M website earlier this week. According to a statement released by the brand, the commercial aims to reveal “An enchanting adventure celebrating the holiday spirit of giving and togetherness,” with the superstars and raft of H&M supermodels adding more than a pinch of glamour to proceedings as the viewer is led “Through a series of holiday moments, finally ending with a Big Band celebration.”
The spot was directed by Johan Renck, one of the most respected music video directors in the world, and director of hit shows such as Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, who said they were “Inspired by the glitz, glamour, and opulence of the 1940s' Big Band era.” He calls the mood one of “One of festive celebration shot through with a strong sense of fashion and underlying humour,” and believes the ad is an “Intriguing, curious, exuberant and audacious” piece, “Filled with wonder.” Also featured in the spot are models dressed in “Chic” H&M clobber, including supermodel Joan Smalls who pops up out of a gigantic gift box.
Samsung gets Bling
In a new campaign for Samsung by Leo Burnett Chicago, the worlds of fashion and technology collide with a spot that includes a variety of seriously “Bling” tech accessories. The “Changes” ad shows a fashionable young women at work, enjoying a party and dining out, all whilst sporting a Samsung phone and watch covered in Swarovski bling, tying into the tagline; “Dress your device up, no matter what the occasion.” Visual effects for the ad were created by MPC, whose global creative director of colour grading, Jean-Clément Soret, said; “We wanted to give a special touch to Samsung Swarovski. It’s a journey through a day and night with multiple locations, but we were keen for it to always flow seamlessly while having clear differences between the locations.”
New Zealand joggers get “Fitness bombed”
As part of a campaign to improve the fitness of potential recruits, the New Zealand Defence Force has commissioned a video by Saatchi & Saatchi showing super-fit soldiers dropping in on Auckland waterfront joggers and “Fitness bombing” them into upping their game. The idea was to promote the NZDF's new “Force Fit” fitness app, which has been the most popular health and fitness download on iTunes over the past month. The app helps people deduce their level of fitness and create a six-week fitness regime that will take them to the basic level of fitness required for entry into the NZDF.
Brigadier Howie Duffy, assistant chief personnel at the NZDF, said the basic problem they've found in defence is “The increasing number of people not meeting our entry requirements.” He added that the app users “The language of teenagers today” by offering users “Reward” accomplishments for reaching new levels of fitness. For the record, those wanting to enlist in the army need to be able meet the following: Men; 2.4km in 12 minutes, 45 curl ups and 15 press ups. Women; 2.4km in 14 minutes, 35 curl ups and eight press ups.
