The ad campaign for new Gucci fragrance 'Gucci Guilty' has just been released. Starring actor Jared Leto and models Julia Hafstrom and Vera Van Erp, it's set in Venice and tells the story of a man and two women exploring the, erm, 'possibilities' of life.
In an interview with Dazed and Confused, Jared explained: 'We were talking about how much fun it would be if one day you were told that you inherited a villa in Venice from a distant relative and what that would be like. How you could come to a city like this and rediscover or reinvent who you are. One way to think about it is to just ask "What if?", "What are the possibilities here?"'
And what was the possibility they decided on? Three people in a steamy scenario. In the 30-second film, the trio share a bath whilst spritzing perfume, and sleep together in a big old bed. At the end, the hashtag #GuiltyNotGuilty appears on-screen.
So, what does this latest Gucci advert mean? Discussing the inspiration behind it, Luis Miguel Gonzalez Sebastiani, global director of Gucci Beauty at Procter & Gamble, claimed it was Millenials (target audience of the best-selling fragrance) that are 'ready to break conventions'. 'They want to express their individuality, and when they indulge in any type of pleasure, they don’t do it with guilt. The campaign focuses on emancipated sexuality,' he told LATimes.
Regularly seen on the front row at Gucci shows, the Suicide Squad actor is just one of the Italian fashion house's high profile fans, so it makes sense that he has become a face of the brand. Most recently, Gucci also tapped Tom Hiddleston to appear in their menswear campaign (alongside some scene-stealing Afghan hounds), while veteran actress Vanessa Redgrave starred in the Cruise 2017 ads, shot at Chatsworth House.
In Behind The Scenes footage from the film, Jared reveals his thoughts on it and Gucci's creative director, Alessandro Michele. 'Alessandro is a true maverick. He is a true genius and someone who's taking something and turning it on its head in such a powerful way that he's making us all ask questions of what's possible.
'And I think that's really hard to do; to take an iconic brand like Gucci and show us something unexpected.'
Gucci Guilty for Her includes geranium, more commonly used in men’s perfume, whilst Gucci Guilty for Him features floral Orange Blossom – not a typical ingredient of masculine fragrances. With this in mind, it's evident how the 'emancipated sexuality' part of it links in with the product. However... isn't the one man, two women scenario not a little tired? Does it not, in fact, do the very opposite of the 'unexpected', and actually reinforce gender stereotypes? Whatever your views, one thing is for certain - it's sure to be one of the most discussed - and potentially, the most controversial - adverts of 2016.
Watch the video yourself and decide...
Now see the Behind The Scenes footage and interview with Jared...
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