Mont Blanc campaign: Wes Anderson can act too
Wes Anderson’s Mont Blanc tie-in feels like his most ‘on brand’ brand collaboration yet.
Any brand that can release an advert ‘by and starring Wes Anderson’ is doing something right, and while the aesthetic choices of the short film will hardly surprise audiences: we’re convinced that’s a good thing.
The action takes place at the apex of Mont Blanc, in a very Andersonian Alpine realm the setting which inspired the original Montblanc fountain pen over a century ago. Of course, Anderson’s knack for eccentric characters is on full display, including, aptly, himself, alongside frequent collaborators Jason Schwartzman and Rupert Friend, portraying a trio of mountain enthusiasts captivated by the allure of Montblanc's creations.
Captured through the lens of acclaimed cinematographer Linus Sandgren, known for his work on "No Time To Die" and "Saltburn," the ad takes place in The Mont Blanc Observatory and Writer’s Room, christened as the epicentre of inspiration for Inspire Writing, the campaign's guiding ethos.
Filmed over two days at Studio Babelsberg in Germany, amidst Anderson's latest cinematic endeavour, "The Phoenician Scheme", the commercial features a surprise twist: Anderson unveils his own creation, the Schreiberling, a bespoke fountain pen crafted by his set design team. Limited to 1,969 editions to honour Anderson's birth year, the pen is available for pre-order as part of the Meisterstück collection.
Our take
It’s been almost a decade since Anderson’s last brand tie in, but his ad roster is still sizable, and includes American Express, SoftBank, Stella Artois, Prada, and H&M.
His most recent venture somehow feels the most ‘right’ out of all of these, given Mont Blanc’s meticulous attention to detail and sense of refined nostalgia.
It comes hot on the (paper) trail of a spate of big name directorial brand tie ins, including Jonathan Glazer’s short film for Prada and Steve McQueen’s PG Tips advert.
In a world where AI parodies of Wes Andersons’ auteur style have become memes in their own right, it’s refreshing to be reminded that an authentic Wes offering can still provide that satisfyingly warm and vibrant quality only he can truly nail (despite repeated, valiant attempts).
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