Clarins Gives Russia a Heady Thrill

Skincare brand Clarins has thrown out the clichés of the category with a recent Russian ad for its men’s range, which sees a fearless thrill-seeker spin, roll and leap across the tops of skyscrapers. 

The ad has been designed to give viewers a physical reaction, triggering their so-called reptilian brain (or R-complex), by placing them in the action.  “Our ad puts the viewer in a very risky high altitude situation,” explains the team. “Normally in this situation we get nervous, our body temperature rises, so our hands and feet get wet to take the heat away and balance the temperature. All of this is happening automatically. It’s done by relic part of the brain which sort of rules all vegetative nervous system.”

 

The daredevil stunts have all been shot live action. “These are real people and situations - no CGI. Actually, it’s the same guy in all the shots. You’ve probably heard expression ‘crazy Russian’ before, so, he is a good example of that. He does this kind of stuff for fun and sticks it to his Instagram. We got in touch with him and asked for his support,” explains the team at Proximity Russia.

 

The timing of the ad is interesting as people under lockdown are feeling a bit bored and under-stimulated, so this could be a much-needed jolt of excitement. However, the ad was actually shot before lockdown hit Russia – but the high octane thrill has proven to be popular with viewers bored of earnest entreaties from brands.

View the ad here.