Premium Member Max Jacoby Posted October 12, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 12, 2005 These last two days I've been to the local multiplex in Luxembourg where I've been subjected to the worst commercial I've ever seen. It's the new H&M add, directed by David LaChapelle on the subject of Romeo & Juliet. It has horrible music, corny playback scenes, bad actors, looks horrible all around and worst of all: it lasts for 5 minutes!!!!!!!! They play it right before the main feature, so the lights in the cinema are dimmed already, making it impossible to ignore. One can practically feel the whole cinema cringe when it starts, since people are aware of it already (there have been several articles in local newspapers complaining about it). I have yet to meet a person who likes it (and I don't expect to either) Have people in other countries been subject to the same torture? I don't buy from H&M anyway, but I expect they will be losing lots of customers soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilmari Reitmaa Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) Oh, yes. I went to see the Hitchhiker's Guide a while back; first there was the usual ten-minutes-plus of commercials and then on top of that, just before the movie, they played the H&M ad and after three minutes I sincerely thought of walking out of the theatre to wait for it to end. If it had any redeeming qualities I'm unable to recall any, it was just plain awful, just corny with not a hint of irony coming through. Moreover, I find the whole concept of a five minute "commercial with artistic values" manipulative and repulsive and as for promoting the H&M brand, if anything it worked just the opposite for me. I did manage to enjoy the Hitchhiker's Guide, nevertheless, but the ad actually came near to ruining the beginning for me. Edited October 13, 2005 by Ilmari Reitmaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest david west Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 free press... the really bad and really ugly and really stupid... these all get free press that far exceeds the original budget.... and just word of mouth increases awareness... beneton did lots of ads with LOTS of conflict years ago... as long as the offending ad has nothing to do with how well the actual product works the add is usually a success.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Neary Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 howdy- we had something like that here several years ago- A terrible "Pepsi Girl" ad (remember her?) with lobotomy-girl wandering through a western set. It got to the point where the audiences woul groan and boo and hiss everytime it came up (it made the papers here too). One projectionist even took the time to scratch out the pepsi-girl's eyes in every single frame, the results were very artistic/scary :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adam Frisch FSF Posted October 13, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 13, 2005 These last two days I've been to the local multiplex in Luxembourg where I've been subjected to the worst commercial I've ever seen. It's the new H&M add, directed by David LaChapelle on the subject of Romeo & Juliet. It has horrible music, corny playback scenes, bad actors, looks horrible all around and worst of all: it lasts for 5 minutes!!!!!!!! They play it right before the main feature, so the lights in the cinema are dimmed already, making it impossible to ignore. One can practically feel the whole cinema cringe when it starts, since people are aware of it already (there have been several articles in local newspapers complaining about it). I have yet to meet a person who likes it (and I don't expect to either) Have people in other countries been subject to the same torture? I don't buy from H&M anyway, but I expect they will be losing lots of customers soon. What's worse - Darius Khondji shot it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Max Jacoby Posted October 13, 2005 Author Premium Member Share Posted October 13, 2005 No! It really looks like poop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adam Frisch FSF Posted October 14, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 14, 2005 Well, I wouldn't go that far, but it doesn't look very good. Uninspired. The set is awful - severe case of backlot-itis. Looks, and probably is, Universals New York backlot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dimitrios Koukas Posted October 14, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 14, 2005 No! It really looks like poop. Even that I haven't seen the advert , I do believe that u wouldn't like such critic for any work that in the future u might do, or allready have done? Dimitrios Koukas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Max Jacoby Posted October 14, 2005 Author Premium Member Share Posted October 14, 2005 I would actually, if it happens to be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riku Naskali Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Yes I also was traumatized by this ad before I got to see the movie in cinema..It's so long that it isn't even funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dimitrios Koukas Posted October 14, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 14, 2005 I would actually, if it happens to be true. Well, like someone else said in this posts, it worked fine, there are too many people discussing about it and also for the brand. That's in a way commercial success. Many advertising companies have this strategy, like the moto ''do not buy our product'' wich works sometimes the opposite way. Dimitrios Koukas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscar perez Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Its a silly commercial to sell jeans. Whats the big deal? How the hell did RENT become a movie thats trash and vile...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph White Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 yeah i just watched a crappy version of this online and yeah, it don't look too great and yeah, its ridiculous. i think lachapelle has a lot of talent in a very limited milieu, but when he's off he's just ridiculous. if anyone is curious to see this weak piece of blah: http://www.hm.com/corporate/inspiration/ca...nd.jsp?clang=us i haven't seen it in any theatres in LA but i'm sure its coming. although H&M did apparently stop running it in canada because of peoples' complaints about the violence being used to sell jeans. yeah i'm really surprised to hear that khondji shot this - but i mean hey, a guy's gotta make a living...seems like most of the visual silliness came from lachapelle anyways - i'm not sure i can think of what khondji's true role in this could have been seeing as how lachapelle is a photographer more than anything and is known for a very specific look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Brad Grimmett Posted October 14, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 14, 2005 How the hell did RENT become a movie thats trash and vile...... Am I mistaken or is Rent not out yet? I believe it comes out in November. How can you call a movie "trash and vile" when you haven't even seen it? Or are you referring to the fact that there are gay characters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscar perez Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Right cuz rent was such a wonderful play and because it has gay characters its horrible ...c'mon now. I saw rent the movie and its better as a play. They robbed it of its soul. So take you r "because they are gay" nonsense and put it where the sun doesnt shine. :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Lazzarini Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 although H&M did apparently stop running it in canada because of peoples' complaints about the violence being used to sell jeans. My guess is it had more to do with the ad being just plain awful. Due to the nature of my part time job, I saw this ad multiple times at the cineplex the weekend it 'premiered' here. The reaction ranged from mocking laughter and head-shaking to outright boos and overly loud insulting comments. I told myself I wouldn't be seeing it again any time soon on the big screen, and I've yet to see it after that initial weekend. Only the bus shelter posters remain in the theatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Allen Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Am I mistaken or is Rent not out yet? Just to clarify - the songs in this spot are from the musical Dreamgirls (around 1981 6 tony award winner), not Rent. But don't think that the songs actually sound like that - they are much cooler than these very dry souless performance. Yes, and I must also say that this spot is pretty amazingly bad and has officially subtracted 10% of all the great things Baz Luhrman did to modernize the musical genre. I wonder when theater owners and distributors will notice the fact that more ads are playing in theaters and less people are going to theaters. Don't they want to enhance the theater going experience? A couple trailers is one thing - not a bad thing. But these ads, in my humble opinion, are up there with people talking in the theater which is driving people to stay home and watch their DVDs. Just wait until everyone has huge screen HD DVD players at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Elhanan Matos Posted October 15, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 15, 2005 That was a very horrible ad, David LaChapelle should stick to shooting stills, I love his portraits. I also refuse to believe Darius Khondji shot that. And as for Rent I can't wait for that movie to be released in theatres... SO THEY CAN STOP PLAYING THAT HORRIBLE TRAILER!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Brad Grimmett Posted October 16, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted October 16, 2005 Right cuz rent was such a wonderful play and because it has gay characters its horrible ...c'mon now. I saw rent the movie and its better as a play. They robbed it of its soul. So take you r "because they are gay" nonsense and put it where the sun doesnt shine. :angry: Well, thanks for answering my question in such a friendly way. I can see you're not defensive at all. I guess I misinterpreted your statement. If so, I'm sorry. How did you happen to see Rent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T. Arthur DeSmidt Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Yikes, I didn't know LaChapelle was such a hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hoytevanhoytema Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 just saw the ad and I think it is great, dark and funny... hoyte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fstop Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 yeah i'm really surprised to hear that khondji shot this - but i mean hey, a guy's gotta make a living... Sure, how would he live without another Faberge Egg/Platinum paperweight/Ferrari/Beach house patio in Malibu? If this is true, it really disheartens me that someone with so much clout and influence in Hollywood has zero integrity. Thoroughly disappointing amd very hard to believe (anyone cite a confirmation source)? Anybody else baffled by the blatant softbox reflection in the closing shot? LaChappelle gives shallow advertising a bad name, and that's saying something. Warhol said he's great so he must be. Whatever. Madonna just fired him from her new music video. That's all I need to know. Adam Frisch is dead right, by the way- That's definitely the Hennessey Street set. It looks as characteristically phoney, spacially limited, below minimally dressed and familiar as ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilmari Reitmaa Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Thoroughly disappointing amd very hard to believe (anyone cite a confirmation source)? I saw Khondji credited on a poster of the ad. I seem to recall that Khondji and LaChappelle have also worked together on something for Nokia. Can't cite an actual source for that one either, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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