Givenchy’s SS20 Campaign starring Marc Jacobs and Charlotte Rampling is a Contemporary Success. Here’s why.
Drama, humour and legacy led to the birth of a legendary Spring/Summer 2020 campaign featuring the “iconic Givenchy couple”.
On January 28, Givenchy posted a trio of teaser videos on Instagram in their iconic portraiture style, featuring English actress Charlotte Rampling and designer Marc Jacobs.
The first teaser begins with the duo gazing at each other. Jacobs soon breaks his gaze, declaring to the viewer: “I am Charlotte Rampling”. Rampling follows suit, announcing, “I am Marc Jacobs”. Then, the clip cuts abruptly with a flat dialling tone. The following clip is equally bewildering, with Rampling slapping Jacobs just before the video cuts off. The duo then partake in a tongue-in-cheek wordplay of their names in the final video, with Jacobs even yelling “lamb chops!” at the end, evoking so much ridicule that you couldn’t help but chuckle.
Initial confusion led to humour, piquing curiosity. Curiosity that was finally satiated when Givenchy released their Spring/Summer 2020 campaign the next day.
Photographed by Craig McDean with input from the label’s Artistic Director Clare Waight Keller, the two-minute video features the “iconic Givenchy couple” modelling accessories and statement pieces from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection. Featuring the monochromatic aesthetic of the Instagram teasers, the film evoked memories of Paris and New York in the ’90s.
While the teasers were abrupt and left many bewildered, the YouTube video portrayed “a masterclass in acting”, in Fashionista’s words. It clearly captures and demonstrates the duo’s capability to enthrall and captivate, evoking drama, wit and chemistry that continues the humour sparked from the Instagram teasers.
The film is unarguably fresh and attention-grabbing. Underscored by a humorous teaser (a trio, actually) whose sheer elements of surprise fit snugly into our contemporary meme-loving culture, this campaign speaks to the oft-overlooked fundamentals of storytelling, campaign craft and emotional desires.
Most importantly, this campaign excelled in leveraging the power of a compelling hook.
Breaking Down the Campaign
Instagram as a Hook
Givenchy introduced its campaign via a trio of teasers on Instagram and Twitter, where it has 14.1 million followers and 1 million followers respectively. While not all 14 million followers will surely become customers, they enter the sales funnel as prospective clients. Each teaser is less than 20 seconds long, but already they are weird. And funny. Each clip captures a distinct moment that breeds intrigue, leaving viewers craving for more. The teasers’ abrupt yet addictive nature aligns them perfectly with the online community’s near-nonexistent attention spans and love for meme-worthy moments. This encourages viewers to share and retweet the teasers, expanding their reach. More shares and retweets increase Givenchy’s chance of landing their teasers on Instagram’s Explore page.
Fashion media outlets are also picking up on this. The strange films provide sensational fodder for fashion media publications to spread the word before the big reveal: That Givenchy is about to release a new campaign.
YouTube: Platform for The Main Act
Viewers are left wanting more. They wait eagerly for the next act, for their curiosity to be satiated, and to discover what this strange trio of teasers is all about. Finally, their desires are sated when the label announces that the full campaign video has been uploaded onto YouTube. Viewers flock to watch the video, wanting to see more.
At which part did Jacobs get slapped? Why was he slapped? What is this film about? What happened between Rampling and Jacobs?
They watch till the end, expecting Jacobs to get slapped at some point. But instead, they are treated to an artful portrayal of performance, reminiscent of Rampling and Jacobs’ individual legacies. Rampling as a legendary English actress, who starred in The Damned (1969), Under the Sand (2000) and The Eye of the Storm (2011). Jacobs as the original American fashion rebellion-turned-darling star designer of New York Fashion Week.
Ah… now, it makes sense.
With the teasers’ tongue-in-cheek humour drawing viewers in, Givenchy celebrates the icons’ stellar acting and performance skills in fashion and film. In the campaign film, fashion and accessories seem almost like an afterthought. Givenchy bags, shoes and clothes are worn by Rampling and Jacobs, but they blend in with the black and white film. Like the teaser and images released with the video, all the photographs feature “Givenchy’s grand portraiture style of imagery” in similar black and white.
This is intentional. Using visual association, the House draws parallels between the muses’ legacy-defining roles and their clothes. Like the muses, the label’s products are immortalised in history as legacy icons to be kept, cherished and treasured. In addition, Givenchy’s clothes are for all, regardless of age, sexuality or gender. To buy Givenchy is to be part of a shared, iconic history and identity.
Photographs: Almost an Afterthought
Finally, on January 30, Givenchy releases its first colorised photographs of the campaign. Marc Jacobs dons a bright scarlet sweater with floral prints, while a refined Charlotte Rampling is clad in an emerald silk blazer while clutching what seems like a reworked iteration of the Mystic bag in caramel.
By now, the campaign photographs seem included as an afterthought. But that is perfectly fine, because the campaign has already worked. The teasers and video have already caught our attention and awed us. The campaign is already successful.
Fashion campaigns are common, but successful ones are few and far between. If there were an industry rulebook on launching eye-catching and memorable campaigns, Givenchy would have ticked every step on the list: Hook your target demographic on the right platform, preferably ones with the most followers. Capture the viewer’s (very limited) attention. Evoke positive associations and emotions with teasers, then draw your audience to the main act. Ensure your muses embody your brand’s values. In fact, this campaign steps even further by defining new rules: Be exclusive yet inclusive and embrace sentiment while remaining modern.
Givenchy has suggested that more pairs in this campaign have yet to be featured. But we aren’t informed who. Again, suspense shrouds us. It’s all part of Givenchy’s witty plan: Tantalise. Keep us in suspense. Then surprise.
But like sheep, we keep our eyes peeled to their Instagram pages. We watch and we wait for the lucky ones to be featured in this campaign. And we don’t mind, because Givenchy has already hooked us all
