France, chocolate, love. A ménage à trois that is perhaps obvious, which brings to mind stereotypes seen in many films set on the Seine or in Burgundy.
But Le Chocolat des Français has added a little spice (ginger, in this case) into its new Valentine’s Day advertising campaign, to make this relationship spicy and contemporary.
Together with agency @tbwaparis, it released five illustrations, with the visual of the new Limited Edition packaging of the chocolate bars at the center, that aim to bring romance back to couples who are trapped in a boring, monotonous routine.
The use of sexually ambiguous optical illusions on the new packs shows a different reality from what is seen in the picture in its entirety.
The presence of everyday elements, which are typical of our lives, and others that are smartly erotic, creates a witty combination, not vulgar in any way, where sexuality is positively an element of discussion. Sex is not a taboo, it is not an obvious and banal element for cheap ads, but a subject treated with tact and intelligence. It is a campaign that, designed for Valentine’s Day, is very effective and works on all levels.
“On Valentine’s Day, it’s normal to see campaigns that talk about love, with lots of good feelings, but rather corny. We wanted to do something very French, more focused on passion and desire, while remaining fun and close to our aesthetic,” says Paul-Henri Masson, co-founder of Le chocolat des Français.
Who wouldn’t want to buy one of these aphrodisiac bars right now?
“Fruit” by Simon Landrein. He is an illustrator with a deliberately simple stroke that gets straight to the point. French born, he worked for years in London and his style and illustrations are, as he says, “quite bold, sometimes minimalist and definitely cheeky”.
“Flower” by Anaïs Lefebvre. Curious, magnetic, comical and sometimes bordering on the real: in each of her illustrations live numerous stories that he analyses by focusing on details of the human soul. The settings are studied in every detail and even the smallest detail encapsulates what the young French illustrator and art director is passionate about, from the clothes to the peculiar behaviour of each person.
“Cocktail” by Paul Thurlby. The retro aesthetic he uses in her work stems from his passion for vintage posters. “My work is bold and playful: I use traditional media to draw objects that are then scanned into photoshop and reassembled. So even though the illustrations are digitally finished, they still retain a human touch which is important to my work”.
“Eiffel Tower” by Laurene Boglio, a French illustrator who lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Boglio’s visual storytelling is at once playful and dark, absurd and profound. Initially recognised for her quirky GIF animations, she now moves and experiments in different illustrated genres.
“Candle” by Aurore Carric, a self-taught French illustrator, whose playful and colourful worldview creates paintings that show apparent simple happiness. The harmonious compositions, despite being full of elements, make her a special artist who has already collaborated with several brands and magazines.
Autore: Francesco Fusi
