Lessons in advertising from the largely ignored

Jeremy Bullmore

Typical perfume advertising is unlike most other advertising: it usually features models in abstract settings, little copy is ever needed, over and above the name of the brand, and is therefore seen as being formulaic and uncreative.

Lessons in advertising from the largely ignored

Jeremy Bullmore

Jeremy Bullmore explains why for some brands, less is always more.

There's a school of advertising that, if more widely adopted, would put most creative agencies out of business. It's most apparent between mid-October and mid-December. Here are some of the names that favour the school – and have done so for decades, Chloé, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Dior, Armani, Prada, Versace, D&G, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Givenchy, Lanvin, Boss, Estée Lauder.

Their advertisements are unlike most other advertisements in several respects. No copywriters have been troubled: there are no headlines, no...

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