That Sean John commercial that MTV refused to air (see Courting Controversy, part 1) is now available at YouTube's DiddyTV channel. You can watch it here (warning: NSFW, although maybe not quite so NSFW as the Tom Ford ads from Courting Controversy, part 2). If you still want more:
In what is believed to be a fragrance-launch first, the rapper will broadcast the party for his new Unforgivable for Women scent live on YouTube. The party, set for Wednesday night at a townhouse on New York's Upper East Side, will feature red-carpet arrivals — Aretha Franklin and Usher are expected — and random moments from the party (cameras will be set up on each floor of the townhouse to catch all that's unforgivable). (via Women's Wear Daily)
Update: per Sean "Diddy" Combs, "Since we launched the Sean John brand 10 years ago, we have taken chances and done many non-traditional things. This three minute movie is no different; it will revolutionize the way people view fragrances forever." (via prnewswire)
Sorry – it's not titillating, and although I don't find it controversial from a sexual standpoint (considering everything alluded to wouldn't be considered shocking in private to most people), I don't think anyone really needs to see that on tv – well, at least from an ad standpoint. Sex certainly has its place in a relevant plotline, but this is just ol' Diddy letting us know that he can pick up the ladies – or is that laydeez. Seriously though, did she just not look very interested through most of it..and dare I say…lethargic? LOL. As to Mr Ford's recent hoo-ha (literally and figuratively), that's just trying to be OTT to the point of laughability – there's no undercurrent, no thinking spark to it, unlike, say Helmut Newton photography.
Have to agree, it is curiously flat, despite all the nudity. They both looked like they were just going through the motions. I found the videos surrounding S”D”C's search for a new personal assistant much more entertaining.
Oh, and I should add – hasn't Diddy just totally ignored the point of good advertising? The dominant focus is on Diddy. This ad is (regardless of whether or not her perfume was so bewitching it made Diddy pick her up) almost saying, if you wear this, maybe someone will pick you up too. Eh? Doesn't that alienate potential female buyers? This stuff is going to end up the perfume equivalent of crotchless underwear and patent leather thigh boots (guy: 'hey, those are nice'. girl: 'you're sleeping on the couch'). A guy (presumably the younger, less wiser ones) will buy it for his girl or his potential paramour in the hope he too, will be 'The Diddy'. If the girl's got any sense she'll treat it the same as the aforementioned and turn around and tell him to return it and get her something decent.
You know, the idea of buying a scent because it is from a celebrity or you saw a television commercial and liked the commercial is just so foreign to me that I couldn't say whether the ad “works” or not. I mean, maybe all you need is something that gets tons of press, and if so, this works very well indeed. It is everywhere, and zillions of people are going to watch it w/o even having to pay for the air time on MTV.
Very true, and reflective of society at the moment – it doesn't matter if what's out there is crap as long as it's out there.
First of all, it's tedious and tepid viewing. Second, it's about as erotic as a wet kipper. Third, it had all the class and style of a fart at the supper table.
Definitely poor.
It is tepid, isn't it? I don't watch MTV any more, but from what I remember, most of the videos were a lot racier than this one. Just less nudity.
I laughed. Somehow I'm thinking that's not the reaction Diddy was looking for.
That Tom Ford ad is *disgusting.* The crotch one; I'd missed that. I'll never touch a bottle again — who knows where it's been? And the whole Terry Richardson cult has always baffled me. He's got all the charm of a flasher in a raincoat.
Ooh! NST needs to borrow that – start the 'wet kipper' rating system for so called 'sexy' celeb scents :-p
LOL — true!
LOL at “who knows where its been” — its true that I'll never be able to look at the bottle w/o that picture in my mind.
Need to have a scale: One wet kipper is just sort of “meh”, five wet kippers is truly revolting (Tom Ford ads would seem to rate five wet kippers).
Wow… That was *really* dull viewing. And my DH just said, “This goes on FOREVER! I can't watch this whole thing!” and left the room. So much for titillation!
I also laughed every time Puff Daddy made eye contact with the camera during an, uh, “intimate” moment. What a ham.
It really isn't interesting enough for the length. They'd do better to edit it anyway, MTV or no MTV. But it is interesting to read the comments on YouTube, which seem divided between “hot” and “boring”.
LOL, you are all hilarious! “Wet Kipper ratings”! “What a ham”! “Who knows where it's been?”
Ahhhh you guys are all great. I really must learn to turn this all into a big joke like you do, rather than allow myself to feel FURIOUS at these ads, which I am sure is their real intention!
xx
You mean it isn't all a big joke? j/k. Maybe I should be furious; it all seems too juvenile to get worked up over.
I don't even get the joke. I feel so out of the pop culture loop!!! They both looked so bored — just like I was. Ho-hum. Of all the celeb fragrances out there, Unforgivable is the least appealing in terms of whatever philosophy/lifestyle/image it is supposed to represent. Duh – ull with a side order of ick.
You would be hard pressed to be more out of the pop culture loop than I am. I only know who famous people are after they release perfumes and I consult Wikipedia or Google.
Agree: this is not an appealing scenario.
I would imagine we are both out of the loop by choice. I don't even own a television set! Stuff out there kind of saddens me: the celebrity obsession, the nastiness/negativity, the sexualization of virtually everything. That's why I follow your site regularly, R. It reminds me of the beauty that's out there, in fragrance, in literature, in good film. That's what I love and want to focus on. By the way, you might like Becoming Jane, if you're not stuck on pure historical factuality. Anne Hathaway is just luminous, the costumes are simple and lovely, the countryside delectable, the language delicious, the emotions tender and real. Wish popular culture was more about Jane Austen and less about What's-his-diddy, et al
Oh no, I watch lots of TV — just mostly on DVD, because I hate commercials and hard to stick to a certain time slot every week. But watch The Office, House, Extras, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Jon Stewart. But it is amazing how much you miss when you don't see commercials or watch any of the gossip or reality shows. Whole celeb sagas pass me by.
I don't think of myself as stuck on historical factuality, but am such a huge Jane Austen fan that I might have trouble with Becoming Jane. Have it in my Netflix queue and will certainly watch it, but will probably complain up a storm
You'll roll your eyes at the pure, unadulterated fantasy-view of Jane's fictional Love-of-My-Life affair, then, for sure. I needed some pure, unadulterated romantic escapism and that's what the film delivered. I did love Ratatouille, too: when Anton Ego, the hyper-critical food critic, has a bite of Chef's modern ratatouille redux and has a flashback to his happy garlic-infused childhood, it just could NOT have been done better. So forget Jane and go with the rat!
No, no, I'll watch both eventually I'm sure! Just have to wait for them to get to DVD. We almost never make it to the theater these days.