CV

My incredible success has attracted a lot of people, which is not surprising on the other hand, and thus I have been asked by a curious GM to which school I have been (if you think you’ll get another, you are quite mistaken) — (possible publicity for original ‘marrons’ Faugier’s Créme de Marron, from Wikipedia), and who will certainly be horribly disappointed by knowing that I just studied … philosophy. Now, what does philosophy have to do with publicity and t-shirt slogans, this poor woman asks herself (all are women in my imagination, it’s easier to talk to them because they are careful listeners, and don’t get immediately angry if it happens that you know something more than her, although she usually hides away her marvelled surprise and obscure intentionality of copying the idea behind a somewhat detached air). She says the idea came a little later.

In any case, I have to admit that even if you can relate philosophy to publicity far away and distantly through words and language, the one has nowadays quite little to do with the other. Two factors do though allow to understand how I was trapped by the irresistible attraction power of publicity. One was my dealing with psychological disturbance from the point of view of language. As someone who is deeply psychicly disturbed is not understandable and the reference for emotional stability is the feeling of belonging deriving from the fact of being understood, I used to try ‘understanding’ by combining appearing words or broken sentences with possible meaning, which gave the most hilarious combinations a mind may ever conceive. Further, I tried to put into words the tones and undertones conveyed, so that suddenly it became possible to put together the said and the unsaid, with very funny results (sometimes). Finally I met Hannah, who had an incredible sense of humour and made me laugh for hours and hours. I tried to ‘crack’ her system: the way she combined words in order to have these very flashy combinations.

As our jokes did concern mostly quite highly peaked subjects which were impossible to understand for a common mortal, I tried translating the same humour into a more, let us say, general context. And publicity seemed to me the best area. Consequently I spent hours making up the most incongruous publicity, going as far as to build ‘negative’ slogans with double meaning.

(Yves St Laurent in Beverly Hills)

Here an example for Yves St Laurent: “Le nom. Rien d’autre. ” (The name. Nothing else.) The game arising from the double understanding of: Rien d’autre (It’s nothing but a name) is combined with the possibility of understanding : the name is enough as warrant for quality, and as Yves St Laurent’s criteria for quality are extremely high, going over even to brands having his name even if they are not his creations (have a look at most exquisite cashmire pull overs in one colour and simple design, I have … still one of after 14 years!), the unconscious that does assimilate experience to a certain number of characteristics, would strangely attach the double meaning to ‘the good quality’, much easier than with a positive publicity of the vulgar kind “we are the best” or less vulgar, though touching “we give importance to quality”.

It’s true, that if I get into one matter, I go on and on with my observations, even if I’m not doing anything related to it. Thus, I went over to analyze the possibility of using publicity as selector of potential clients, in an extremely conservative financial conception, where the number’d be disregarded in favour of who the client. It is strange, but should be prooved, that the fact a second class singer wearing Yves St Laurent, does hurt Yves St Laurent more than it helps him: the association of the second class to something else, does lower attractiveness of the product, who looses thus people with greater power of acquisition. Strangely, a second class singer would not be attracted by such a publicity for he/she is ‘just a name’ and will naturally asssociate the ‘rien d’autre’ to her/his own state. It would thus act as a distantiating element that would allow to determine exactly who are the people who fit with, well here, a determined fashion and thus spend enough money in order to get it. (And many other observations.)

To say, that sometimes, school is not enough, nor hardly a reference. On the other hand it is true, that I would not be surprised if my proposal to make publicity was rejected by … the few who would at least enjoy my creations. They’d give too much of an importance to … the school!

Why become jealous?

It is really impossible to translate Guerlain’s publicity and on the other hand, it would not fit the English speaking market. The only available translation would be, to my understanding: Subtly… French!

(There are many very jealous publicity people peeling off my fantastic creations, which I can thoroughly understand. It’s worth the while … and gracious!)

Now, for other publicity ideas for others to keep as source of inspiration, see those (yes, Sir, they are all mine. I do always mention quotation!) (I do always have to reassure Mr Google, who can’t simply not understand how someone can be so creative, as if he weren’t himself: just look at his combination ability):

Now, see the sketch, just seeing a woman dressing herself for a fine dinner, and a voice in off: “Mercedes, please, tonight, don’t be late!” And sees the last Mercedes waiting at her door steps, or related.

Or this one, made up for cheap watches Q&Q:
Q and Q you are cute!

Watches do definitely occupy my mind (my mother’s bad influence). One for Rolex:

(Sketch) You see a strong big man with tatooed muscled arms and bold head sitting at a table, with a golden Rolex around his wrist. (Voice in off): “Say, Rolex“. And he says, rolling the r: r o l e x

 (Rolex Replica official site)

And for Orient:

It’s twelve. Orient’s rising star.

There are many still. But I won’t tell all my secrets tonight.

Subtle French

Publicity composed against attacks on supposed old fashioned products. Here, for Guerlain. On three different pages for example in a fashion magazine, instead of repeating the same, changing from one sentence to the other.

 (Copyright SBSUK)

Maintenant ce n’est pas de hier.

Guerlain, ce n’est pas de hier.

Guerlain. Du maintenant.

Can’t be translated as playing with word game arising from the use of maintenant (now) and gerundif of maintenir, maintenant.