Samsung spoofs Brad Pitt's Chanel ads in campaign for new washing machine

Gymnast Max Whitlock stars in work for the brand, which also created a laundry-scented fragrance

Published On
Oct 08, 2020

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Samsung is taking an unusual approach to marketing its new "ecobubble" washing machine range. Rather than emphasizing the functions of the machine, it's gone down the route of perfume advertising, with a spoof fragrance ad starring British Olympic gymnast Max Whitlock.

In a U.K. campaign by PR agency Taylor Herring, a black-and-white spot features Whitlock performing a pommel horse routine atop an ecobubble machine, while spouting lines about beach, passion, pleasure, life and laundry. Intermingled are random shots of babies, horses and other woodland creatures. All the silliness captures the spirit of meaningless fragrance ads—the agency says it was particularly inspired by Brad Pitt's efforts for Chanel. 

Whitlock will also appear in outdoor and social ads spoofing Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue commercial (originally starring David Gandy) and Versace’s 2014 advert for Eros.

The hero ad is airing on a giant billboard in London's Piccadilly Circus. In addition, Samsung made a real-life fragrance to go with the campaign. Created by perfumer Sarah McCartney to capture the smell of fresh laundry, "Freshly Laundered- Eco Edition" comes in a square bottle shaped like the machine and will be given away to the first ten purchasers of the machine at the Samsung flagship store in London's King's Cross. A limited number can also be won via Samsung social channels.