How do you animate a fragrance…? Perfume is simple enough to communicate by print, simply add a swatch. But on-screen you must let the imagination do all the work using sound and fantasy to conjure a scent. Hence, we are presented with wild worlds – the transcendence of gravity, time and space, usually smothered in jazz.

Here the top 5 perfume ads I’ve viewed recently (not familiar to me as they never screened on television in New Zealand); they are all rather moody, slick little clips, heavy with a fog of luxury.

Gucci by Gucci, directed by David Lynch.

Tokyo by Kenzo, directed by Patrick Guedj.

Harajuku Lovers by Gwen Stefani.

L by Gwen Stefani.

Champs Elysees by Guerlain (circa 1996).

Also set in Paris – and due to be unleashed on the internet shortly – is Sofia Coppola’s commerical for the Miss Dior Cherie. I am keeping a keen eye out for it, having madly adored the print campaign. ❤