Perfume commercials are always trying to be provocative and sexy to attract consumers, but the new ads for Paco Rabane Black XS seem to be reaching out in a very different way: specifically, to glam rock fans in the early punk era. What else could possibly explain this frenetic new ad, which has everything a young David Bowie could want: Iggy Pop sensuously wrapping himself in an American flag, models licking a Damien Hirst-y jewel-encrusted skull, a couple writhing in money like a pair of proto-punk Scrooge McDucks, etc. It's as if someone turned Velvet Goldmine into a perfume.
As big fans of Mr. Stardust and his spiders from Mars, the campy elements of the ad are pretty appealing to us. But given the otherwise small overlap between perfumistas and '70s-rock aficionados, this spot seems pretty niche indeed. Still, it's always nice to see Iggy, and maybe now, with a perfume campaign under his belt, he can finally fulfill his beauty destiny by starting a hair care line.
