“Every Decision Was Uncomfortable”: How LOLA MullenLowe Made the New Lynx Ads So Damn Weird
“Have you seen the new Lynx ads? What do you think of them?” LBB’s London office was certainly not alone in having this discussion after the fragrance brand dropped a brace of oddball dark comedy shorts created by LOLA MullenLowe and directed by Lionel Goldstein.
‘Robbery’ and ‘Funeral’ are, unexpectedly, both love stories. But they do have the tendency to leave the viewer with that “What the hell did I just watch” feeling. Not in a bad way, though. They just feel profoundly different to the sort of advertising – and the sort of depictions of robberies and funerals – that we’re used to seeing.
There is a kernel of familiarity in there though, for anyone familiar with Lynx’s advertising heritage. In their absurdist way, both films revolve around the attractive fragrance of the product.
Astounded that this campaign actually got made – and is running in cinemas and online across the UK and Türkiye, as well as in various Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay this month – LBB’s Alex Reeves chats to LOLA MullenLowe executive creative director Tomas Ostiglia to hear more.
LBB> There's something of a return to the classic message of Lynx in this campaign - it makes you smell nice and may lead to romantic success. But tonally it's a long way from where the brand used to be when it last employed that strategy. Can you talk about what led your decision to take things back to basics in that way?
Tomas> What we feel is that in the attempt to move away from a sexist past and adapt to modern times, the brand lost sight of its main benefit and was struggling to find its direction in communication.
That's why our strategy was to return to the core benefit, which is its attractive fragrance. But today, we're in 2024. That’s why we created a series of stories where the characters are not sexualized, avoiding stereotypes, portraying normal, even funny men, and strong, determined women. Also, very real, but all in a comedic tone. This way, we created this universe for the brand, where there's room to laugh and be self-deprecating, something we missed in Lynx's communication and advertising in general.
LBB> The films are undeniably quirky. What was the strategy behind infusing them with such eccentricity?
Tomas> I think the strangest thing is the contrast between the dark, melancholic setting of Dungeness and the absurdity and craziness of the stories, which are told entirely in a comedic tone. This enhances the humour, and creates a very particular universe, but above all, it adds that quirkiness.
LBB> Robberies and funerals aren't traditionally light-hearted subjects. Not many clients would approve these scripts. What was the key to taking that creative leap?
Tomas> The key was to be funny. We're talking about entertainment; we didn't want to depict real situations of gen z, and blah, blah, blah... We're tired of ads trying to replicate reality, a reality no one quite understands anyway. We wanted to make humour, so we looked for situations where comedy could flourish, where the last thing you'd expect is a situation of attraction.
LBB> Why was the mockumentary style right for the project?
Tomas> The mockumentary style was never discussed during the process. The result of this style is the Goldsteins seeking authenticity in every step of the process, the locations, casting, wardrobe, and music. We followed them enthusiastically. It was one of those times when you realise that the more freedom you give, the better the result.
LBB> Why was Lionel Goldstein the right directing collective to capture that tone? What did they bring to the script?
Tomas> HUMOUR. Written in capital letters.
Every decision was uncomfortable and difficult; we as a team always did the opposite of what should be done, which is why the films stands out so much, and of course, it was a question of talent and always aiming for a good laugh.
LBB> There are many questions about the details that I'd like to ask. Like why you decided to open with the robber psyching herself up before the robbery. Or why he calls it a 'store' when it looks more like a pub or restaurant. Or what drove the decision to cast a drag queen as one of the mourners? I could go on. But what are your favourite creative decisions regarding the details?
Tomas> The girl arriving at the place is great because you have the chance to introduce the character before the action, and because she's not yet wearing a mask, so you can see her in all her splendour. Although later the mask she chooses to rob doesn't fully cover her, and she also threatens everyone with a hammer, even though people behave as if she had a gun. Simply because the girl did it that way in the casting, and we all found it funnier. And the drag queen, because attraction now is much more fluid, and we don't pay as much attention to genders anymore, although we wanted to maintain Lynx's tradition as a masculine fragrance because that's intrinsic to the brand; we liked giving that touch of diversity among the deceased's friends.
LBB> I can imagine they were fun films to make. Are there any memories from the shoot(s) that particularly stand out for you?
Tomas> The expressions on the faces of some local women – who were watching the shoot when they saw our protagonist leaving the chapel with a coffin on her back and walking down the street – was a moment I'll never forget.
