Draftfcb Cape Town Shoots For Richelieu
Draftfcb Cape Town has created a sophisticated new television commercial for Richelieu that – packed with beautiful scenery, glamorous people and fast cars – is a flawless portrayal of the luxurious Richelieu Life.
The ad, directed by Seven Films’ Lourens van Rensburg, tells the story of a loveable rogue who falls in and out of love so often it has become second nature for his friends to have a go at him about it.
While the fast-paced commercial cuts between the hero’s reminiscences of his failed romances and the classy Eiffel Tower café in which they’ve gathered, it’s obvious that these friends have immense respect for each other. It’s a friendship best shared with, and nurtured by, Richelieu.
“We were honoured that the Richelieu brand team chose Draftfcb Cape Town, a South African agency to produce the ad which is set in France, and uses a French cast and crew. This clearly proves the strength of the local industry and the great concept we proposed,” said creative director Aaron Harris.
He and creative team, Andre de Wet and Riaan van Wyk, still haven’t come down to earth after living for 11 days what Harris describes as ‘My Biggest Adventure in Advertising’.
“Cafés in Paris, yachts in Monaco, snow mobiles in the French Alps and casinos in Monte Carlo – all part of the European playboy’s life, a life that a creative team from Draftfcb Cape Town got a peek of while on set in France for Richelieu,” he said.
During the 11 days, Draftfcb and the French crew shot some 40 hours of footage which has been cut into one 60 second and two 30 second spots, which are already flighting.
Incredibly, despite this being such a long shoot and despite the team declining to take out weather insurance, nothing went wrong.
“If we’d art directed the clouds, we couldn’t have done any better,” quips Harris. “It was just amazing. When we needed fluffy, we got fluffy; when we needed streaky, we got streaky; and when we needed nothing but blue – in Monaco – we got clear blue skies.
“It was also a dream working with an all-French crew, including our actors who we cast in Paris before leaving Cape Town.
“The only nightmare was back in Cape Town. Because all the dialogue was in French and all the crew were French, the editor didn’t understand a word of the rushes. Cue the translator!”
Credits:
Distell:
Fred Leclezio
Draftfcb Cape Town:
Executive Creative Director – Mike Barnwell, Francois de Villiers
Creative Director: Aaron Harris
Art Director: Riaan van Wyk
Copywriter: Andre de Wet
Producer: Caz Freidman
Production:
Production House: Seven Films (Lourens van Rensburg)
Post Production: Black Ginger
Sound: We Love Jam (Arnold Vermaak)
Editing: Aces Up (Lucian Barnard)
Sound Track: Pulse New York
