AD-OFF: Channing Tatum vs. Timotheé Chalamet.
Alpha Male vs. Sigma Male!
(Yes, I don’t just post old great ads, I also stay on top of all new ads.)
Both sexy men (not sexiest man alive—gag) are currently hawking an eau de parfum pour homme brand.
Tatum is selling Versace Eros. He is G.I. Fucking Joe and stud Magic Mike. His dad was a construction worker. He was a four-sport star. His pre-fame jobs included roofer and, yes, stripper. ALPHA AS FUCK.
“Timotheé is selling Bleu de Chanel. He is definitely a Sigma—he “sits outside the (male) hierarchy by his own choice”. His background is a bit more hoity-toity. He jerked off into a peach. He also is Paul Muad'Dib:
…a warrior and mystic, ogre and saint, the fox and the innocent, chivalrous, truthless, less than a god, more than a man. There is no measuring Muad'Dib's motives by ordinary standards”(from the Dune novel).
OK, enough background.
Tatum’s spot is for new Versace scent Eros Energy. First, the principles speak:
“I love the strength of these images. Channing makes the perfect face for Eros. He is strong and determined and at the same time incredibly kind and charming. He is the modern Eros (calling him a God?)—celebrating love, power and dedication”.—Donatella Versace
“Donatella’s idea for this campaign has such a strong creative vision and real physicality. It captures the unique mix of elegance and energy that I love about Versace. To represent the Versace Eros fragrances, which have such a powerful place not just in fashion but in culture (Jesus, lay it on thick, Channing), is a great privilege, and to do so for my friend Donatella is beyond words. Thank you, Donatella, I love you”.—Channing Tatum
Well, I don’t know who loves (fellates) the other better. Eros is the Greek God of “Love”.
Here’s my review: Tatum shoots an arrow (a love arrow, I guess), chases it through the desert and a waterfall, catches the arrow atop a mountain, strikes a manly pose. Nice and simple. I appreciate that. I don’t understand, as a God, why he’s wearing clothes: at least lose the white-trash tank-top, FFS. The Track is Placebo “Song To Say Goodbye” (don’t get the connection).
Chalamet is directed by Martin Scorcese, for some reason. Video has 12+ million views, 1200+ comments (Tatum’s: 90,000, 139). This commercial is, let me be extra delicate, a fucking mess. One commenter says they have it figured out:
“I also love the use of blue. There is a well thought out script behind this ad (O RLY?). So Timmy comes from a role and can’t shake it off of him. The moments when he is in the role have blue lights but when he is himself it is black and white. Also it can be interpreted that when he wears Chanel perfume he becomes this character and “finds himself”. Absolutely love it!”
I believe this just might be Scorcese anon-commenting. So, yes, Tim, wearing all leather of course, watches himself in a role (a movie I guess, with a mysterious Asian woman) throughout the 90 seconds, and those scenes have a blue tinge, see because the product is Bleu (brilliant).
The narrative part is:
Tim getting ready for and appearing on a late show. He sees “Courtney” in a dressing room and she slams the door on him (somebody he fucked, we can presume). He goes on the show, makes a few non-sequitur comments, host asks, pretentiously: “When you’re inside a role, do your destroy who you are?” Tim responds: “No you reach into yourself, you find yourself, and only after that, are you free to be who you really are” (how pithy, yes I KNOW he’s mocking himself, how fucking novel). Back to a movie scene, subway pulls up he runs towards it, falls to his death, or something.
The track is “Rockit” (great video), Herbie Hancock.
Tim got paid 35 million for the advert. Tatum, can’t find a figure, but, yeah, LESS.
SUMMATION: Tatum’s ad is better, only because it’s simple. Chalamet’s is typical nonsensical fashion garbage. You’re losing it, Martin.
Comment if you want.