Fancy a commercial break?

Some of you may remember a lavish 60-million-dollar (no less!) 2-minute ad for Chanel back in 2004. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge), it featured Aussie mega-star Nicole Kidman (who else!) alongside the terribly handsome (I mean, my wife says so! ) Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro, who had played a year earlier this secondary role in Hugh Grant's Love Actually that launched him into stardom.

The short film / commercial was considered by many experts a masterpiece of advertising: Debussy's "Clair de Lune" playing in the background, the amazing cinematography and the beautifully scripted story of the doomed lovers ... you don't remember? No worries, watch the famous ad:

Mesmerizing, isn't it?

Now, 8 years on, the French perfume giant strikes back, this time with a suitably minimalistic (for these times of crisis, you know) black-and-white 30-second commercial, which you may have already seen on TV as it premiered barely a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea how much exactly it's cost to produce, but surely it wasn't cheap as it stars the "inevitable" Mr Brad Pitt (another favourite of my wife's, ha ha!), who, you will hear further down below, has reportedly been paid 7 million bucks for the job, wow!

Anyway, the thing is there's been kind of a "controversy" surrounding Pitt's ad, since it's the first time a male celebrity has endorsed the classic signature # 5 fragrance. Watch this funny yet thought-provoking short clip:

So, as the blonde presenter asks her audience: "Are you liking the latest Channel commercial or is it just plain, odd, strange?" Moreover, I wonder if some of you might like to post your opinions here on this blog as to whether it is fair / ethical to pay a celebrity huge amounts of dough for endorsing products from luxury brands.

Finally, a little extra with something more, say, "mundane", but brilliant to my mind: open this Dutch website and just wait for a few seconds - with the speakers on but without clicking on any items. You'll be pleasantly surprised to see what unfolds before your very eyes.

You must admit there are excellent "unsung" professionals in the world of advertising ...

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More advertising. Today I was watching Sky One online when an ad for Rexona caught my attention (I'm sure you've heard of the brand before). The big deodorant manufacturer is currently sponsoring British F1 team Lotus, though I had not realised until I saw the commercial this morning.

The 2012 Lotus F1 car. See the brand on the top right corner?

"Rexona: It won't let you down" is the slogan they want us to remember, to get stuck in our memory. And sure thing they manage that through this fantastic TV commercial in which you can see the Lotus pit crew working painstakingly, in slow motion, striving to make no errors whatsoever, in the few seconds they have while they change the car's wheels at a pit stop during a F1 Grand Prix. The driver's success very often depends on their job, which must be synchronized to perfection.  And perfection is what the two-and-a-half-minute ad (watch below) oozes, every second of it. You cannot help admiring the mechanics' precise work. The sound and image editing are unbelievable, mixing slow mo frames with the interviews of the actual people "behind the scenes". Even Rexona's logo, a vector, which very much reminds me of Nike's legendary swoosh, looks perfect at the end of the clip, punctuated by the roaring, deafening noise of a F1 engine.

It's am awesome commercial which, for the sake of English (and, why not, advertising) I want to share with you all. Hope Rexona will send me a free batch of their products after they read this entry, ha ha! 

I wonder if you guys have a favourite ad on TV / the radio (whichever the language) that you would like to share with us too ...

Note: Needless to say, I don't root for Lotus or its drivers ... GO FERRARI, GO ALONSO! 

The film Corner: Diana Dominguez - Once Upon a Time

I have always loved this kind of stories, a mix of magic and reality. Since I was a child I have been attracted to fairy tales, cartoons and science fiction. I still remember the fascination I felt while seeing E.T. at the cinema and, honestly, I have this poignant feeling when I see The Lion King or Avatar nowadays; so I´m delighted that fantasy films and series are in fashion again. 

Obviously, I regard the film has to be original, with a good cast and an enthralling plot. I can´t stand commercial films like, for example, Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Charlize Theron as the evil stepmother (I saw it last year), whose dialogues and plot, despite an awesome production and mind-blowing special effects, don´t draw your attention. 

I'm a big fan of “Once Upon a Time” because it is a gripping fantasy television series, where all the characters, apparently normal dwellers of a small village, are in fact characters of fairy tales: Snow White, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood … All of them are prisoners in our world of The Evil Queen´s spell, unable to remember anything about their real provenance and unaware that the village´s major is the dreaded creepy queen, who is determined to control their lives to ensure that there will be no more happy endings in fairy tales.

Fortunately, there's a glimmer of hope in a character that is apparently unrelated to all this fantasy…

Chani: THE CITY I LOVE - SAN SEBASTIAN

First and foremost, I personally reckon San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, in which you can find tradition and modernity everywhere. Every step of the way you have strong mixed feelings as you don’t know whether you are living in the present or in the past.

A bird's eye view of San Sebastian

The city is well-known for its International Film and Jazz Festival, not to mention its excellent and popular “pintxos” (the locals don’t like the word “tapas” at all) for instance, the so-called “la hoguera” (made with half-smoked cod) and the foie gras with apple compote, which in my personal opinion are both absolutely delicious. Moreover, San Sebastian has an annual gastronomic congress that is well-known worldwide and where the most famous professionals compete at the most demanding level.

A small delicacy: La Hoguera

One of the most popular attractions in the summer season is the unrivalled La Concha beach. Those who have the chance to sunbathe and swim there are involved in a mystic experience because La Concha beach is surrounded by some historical stately buildings and countless churches that seem to stare at you penetratingly. On the opposite side, the marvellous La Concha bay is like an open door to the immensity of the Cantabrian Sea. Located in the heart of the Old Town, Constitution Square is another historical landmark. Besides, the Town Hall, which was initially designed as a casino, is one of the most remarkable buildings in Spain. In addition, there is a wide range of museums, such as Chillida-Leku, which is fully in nature and invites tourist to approach art in an unusual way.

Obviously, it is inevitable for me to comment on San Sebastian´s mountains, such as Mount Igeldo, which is an entertaining place due to its amusement park.  One of its funny rides is the old roller coaster, which has a deafening wooden carriage. People can go to this mount by car but it is worth riding up there on the funicular railway, which is one of the most antique in Spain. The experience is unforgettable because you can take pleasure in observing and photographing the city from an excellent viewpoint.

Mount Igueldo

Depending on your preferences or your frame of mind, you can choose between three unbelievable night leisure areas which this city offers to get the most peculiar entertainment. Firstly, the Old Town’s hustle and bustle gives you the impression that the activity never stops at all. Secondly, Reyes Católicos Street conceals the trendiest part, with modern places and amazing innovative music proposals. Last but not least, the Youth’s Gros borough is a place with scattered bars for those who enjoy relaxing.

I strongly recommended you to visit San Sebastian because I am absolutely convinced that you will fall in love at first sight. The city will enthral you, not only physically but also spiritually. 

If you found it too difficult, how about this other video taken from Mark Shea's "Overlander.tv" (a nice Aussie accent!)? It has Spanish subtitles (a rough transcript) and features, on and off, a Basque girl speaking Spanish (though the translation into English is provided too)