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Looks like it’s working

Posted by Robin on 16 March 2009 29 Comments

The new ad spot for the just-released La Nuit de l'Homme from Yves Saint Laurent, starring French actor Vincent Cassel.

Filed Under: perfume in the news
Tagged With: video, yves saint laurent

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29 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 12:36 pm

    I'm sorry…is this the elevated, European take of the Axe commercials? And I don't see the YSL man being so, ahem, bourgeois with such a formal attire. The original YSL spirit is about liberation, empowerment by turning away from the establishment–hence the concept of setting up the Rive Gauche boutique at the Left Bank. Oh, how time have changed…

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  2. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 12:40 pm

    Yeah, I don't like the style of this ad. Not Rive Gauche at all! But I love Vincent Cassel. I tend to like odd looking guys like him, not to mention he's a fantastic actor. And he snagged Monica Bellucci, the living goddess, so there's definitely something about him!

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  3. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 12:42 pm

    Well Albert, the times have changed, YSl Beaute has been bought by L'Oreal. They are heading to a mass market; the knowledge about what fashion as art used to be is not wide spread anymore.
    there would be no chance nowadays for such people like ysl or coco.
    all who tried, tom ford, marc jacobs, had to sell themselves to succeed, and they do not have an “attitude”.
    but despite that – VC is nice and so french and: the husband of monica bellucci. this gives him great credit *lol*

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  4. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 12:47 pm

    I pay little attention to fashion…my objection was more that it follows a very long string of black & white tv spots w/ very similar inspirations…seemed like a slightly upscale & sophisticated version of the spot for Armani Diamonds for men:

    https://nstperfume.com/blog/_archives/2008/6/25/3762261.html

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  5. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Sorry to say I don't know his work.

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  6. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Isn't she the hottest women ever?

    That kind of women you cannot be mad or envious on, because they are just nice AND beautifull AND kind…

    Is there actually anyone who does not like her? And – isn't it funny that the guy is defined over his wife and not v.v.?

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  7. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:01 pm

    Robin, the only American film that comes to mind that he was in was “Derailed” with Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen. He absolutely mopped the floor with her! Hopefully they've learned not to put a stellar international actor like VC next to a dull, wooden actress like JA next time! (I think they learned their lesson – it bombed at the box office). One of my favorite films of his is “The Brotherhood of the Wolf” – which I believe is French if not Quebecoise?

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  8. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:03 pm

    I was being polite about the attire–I picked up on the wardrobe choice issue (and I checked out the Armani Diamonds thready already so thanks). Knowing L'Oreal (who holds liscensing for YSL and Armani) I think the convergence in style is not all that surprising.

    I get the Armani men in suits…but seeing the YSL men in a more buttoned up attire is not my cup of tea. It ultimately goes beyond fashion, mind you–this is about the brand's DNA. And regardless whether one pays attention to fashion it's the Artistic Director's job to get that right. (Here, I'm going to hold my tongue for now.)

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  9. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:04 pm

    LOL – exactly! She is just so stunningly beautiful I can only look at her and enjoy her beauty. I guess it does help that she does not seem to be your typical eurotrash party-girl actress. And that she's married to a satyr-esque guy like VC! :D

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  10. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:17 pm

    Cassel was also in “Ocean's Twelve” with an awesome heist scene:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW2GPQ9YUR0

    He has a cinematic reputation of playing tough guys with a troubled edge. That's why I find it kind of odd seeing Cassel being so dandified–he looks manly with all that makeup ;-p

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  11. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:19 pm

    Nothing new under the sun in this add, but for VC! He's definitely one of the most erotic actors out there rigth now and has some kind of totally irresistable very intelligent very bad guy-vibes. Great move of Loreal to snatch him for this ad.

    It actually made me run to the next department store to check out the scent… quite similar to Jicky and Le Male, with less Coumarin. I wasn't quite impressed, but under the influence of that ad made my boyfriend test it. Still wasn't impressed when sniffing his wrist directly, but it was really great and had quite some effect whenever I caught a whiff of sillage.

    Robin: You might have seen VC in Oceans' Twelve and Oceans' Thirteen. The Brotherhood of the Wolves is very worth watching, too (if you like historic mystery movies, i.e. Lots of eye candy, though).

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  12. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:33 pm

    Yeah, I know about the YSL acquisition and it's essentially a continuation of, no offense, Pierre Bergé's aim to generate funds for the other divisions. Still, while I know the concept of “fashion=art” is thoroughly done (and for the record Coco Chanel never liked that idea–she didn't even mind being plagerized) this is about somebody not getting the brand spot on.

    YSL isn't French formality, nor is Cassel. Both being dolled up like that feels, to me at least, contrived.

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  13. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:35 pm

    LOL — you don't need to hold your tongue, I just don't know fashion so can't comment :-)

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  14. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:35 pm

    I missed that one! Will add The Brotherhood of the Wolf to Netflix queue, thanks!

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  15. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:36 pm

    Oh, but how bloody is it? Didn't realize it was a horror flick.

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  16. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:37 pm

    Ah, then I have seen him! I enjoyed that movie but it didn't make much of an impression on me — I've forgotten every single minute.

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  17. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:38 pm

    See above — apparently I have seen him in Ocean's 12. Forget the whole movie though. How bloody is the Brotherhood of the Wolves?

    And the scent sounds better than I expected…

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  18. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 1:44 pm

    If I remember the movie correctly, it isn't really that bloody at all, at least not in the splatter movie style. It takes its suspense first and foremost from actions you don't see, but imagine. Very nice plot twist right in the end. And did I mention that Vincent Cassel is just great?

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  19. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 2:14 pm

    Yup, I second that. It's been awhile since I watched it, but I don't remember it being very graphically violent. Well, now I know what I'm going to watch tonight!

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  20. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 3:52 pm

    I don't like her. She's a bad actress and if you were Italian you'd hate to listen to her talk. She's got a very dull voice and never says anything interesting. She's only a beautiful woman.

    Shame this is in Italian, but it's a really funny video on “how to bellucci anything”.

    http://vimeo.com/1836728

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  21. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 4:19 pm

    Vincent Cassel is a terrific actor. He just won a “César” (the French Oscars) here in France for his performance in “Mesrine” (a famous French bank robber). I hope it will be soon in movie theaters or on DVD in the US because it's definitely worth watching. Now back to this TV spot, personnaly, I find it really boring and “déja vu”. It actually reminds me of “Armani Code” (the dark colour code of the bottle/box + the scent itself too…) which is in fact not surprising (L'Oréal is just trying to replicate the huge success of Code for YSL). I've also seen pictures or films in which Cassel looks much better / sexier than in this ad.

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  22. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 4:20 pm

    Thank you both!

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  23. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 4:21 pm

    Agree it's pretty dull, and “been there done that”.

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  24. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 6:54 pm

    It is no less than quite odd, a bit confusing, and ends….well, unsatisfactorily…but I thought I recognised him from somewhere.

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  25. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 7:00 pm

    Monica, is however, gorgeous to look at….it's a bit depressing…

    I suspect the average man cares little for her level of intelligence or her clever repartee for that matter.

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  26. Anonymous says:
    16 March 2009 at 7:11 pm

    Really? My Italian teachers in college liked her. Of course that was 15+ years ago ! :O I've always enjoyed the films she's been in. But then again I like Sophie Marceau too. I'm sure in France this is probably akin liking Sharon Stone in America.

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  27. Anonymous says:
    17 March 2009 at 11:14 am

    Don't forget Irreversible, in which he starred with Bellucci. One of the most intense, mind-blowing films ever made imho.

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  28. Anonymous says:
    17 March 2009 at 11:14 am

    Vincent looks slightly overwhelmed by the end of the commercial lol.

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  29. Anonymous says:
    17 March 2009 at 11:18 am

    As well he might be.

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