CapriReview_30_a.20100708104435.pdf

A SET FOR TVCOMMERCIALSThe Piazzetta, the Faraglioni, theterraces overlooking the sea: they areall being used ever more frequently assettings for the advertising campaignsof famous brand namesby Silvia BaldassarreWhen Homer decided to set the episodedealing with the encounter betweenOdysseus and the Sirens in the watersaround Capri, he probably never imagined that hewas starting a fashion that would continue forcenturies. In fact, scores of films, novels and songshave been set between the Faraglioni and thePiazzetta. Now, in the era of communication,commercials have arrived too.Thus Capri finds that it has become anunforgettable setting for commercials, both TVcommercials and other media, with new and evermore varied images in which the island is alwaysthe stunning protagonist.Indeed, it is impossible to see Homer’s mythicalcreatures without seeing the images of theadvertising campaign for Dolce & Gabbana’sLight Blue perfume. It is not the bewitching songof the sirens, but the marvellous bodies of a manand a woman that fascinate and seduce theobserver; Capri dominates the background,asserting its right to be included as a protagonistin the advertisement. Designed to reflect thesensuality, and a seductive image of thefreshness and lightness of the Mediterranean wayof life, the perfume is associated with the islandboth in its fragrance and in the image of male andfemale elegance and spontaneity, kissed by theItalian sun.It may not have been the melodious voice of theSirens that seduced Diego Della Valle, but he wascertainly seduced by the sea and the island intodeclaring his eternal love for Capri. It is a love thatis renewed not only on his frequent visits to Capri,but also in the place of honour reserved for it inTod’s advertising campaigns. The choice oflocation is due to the fact that the Caprilandscapes and the interiors of famous Capribuildings, such as the J.K. Place Hotel, bestrepresent the brand’s classic, hand-crafted,contemporary style. For their spring-summercampaign this year, the Formapura agency haschosen ordinary people to give greater prominenceto the products. It is Capri that is definitely theprestigious testimonial, however, with its symbolicfeatures dominating and providing a frame for theTod’s creations, and providing a strong image of“Emozioni italiane” è stato il tema di una delle campagne pubblicitarie di Unopiù dove non poteva mancarelo scenario di Capri per ambientare i raffinati complementi d’arredo per esterni.“Italian emotions” was the theme of one of Unopiù’s advertising campaigns, with Capri as theindispensable setting for their elegant ranges of outdoor furniture.Italian-made products as a whole. It is impossibleto forget the advertising campaign starringAmerican actress Gwyneth Paltrow, however,photographed on the Altair – Diego Della Valle’sboat: she is the splendid incarnation of asophisticated, elegant and chic woman, in perfectCapri style.Dominating over all of this is the Mediterraneanwhich, with its beauty and its scents, stimulatesthe creative agencies to present exquisitely Italianbrands within typical Italian contexts.One of the latest advertising campaigns by Unopiù,the famous outdoor furniture brand, was actuallydedicated to “Italian emotions”, and it chose Caprifrom among the most beautiful places in Italy toshow how intimately Italian each of its creations is.An elegant chaise-longue stands in the foregroundon a sunny terrace overlooking the Faraglioni,symbolizing to perfection the company’scharacteristic delicate beauty which combines sowell with the island’s taste and charm.The latest Braccialini collection and advertisingcampaign are also inspired by the Mediterranean.The Velvet agency focuses on a bag in the shape ofa tomato which emerges from an island as thoughin confirmation of its own uniqueness and that ofthe person wearing it. It is an unconventionalinterpretation, combining dream and reality; in thebackground are the Faraglioni, the eternal symbolof the island, while the lemons in the foregroundalso provide an unescapable link to Capri.More subtly, although completely recognizable tothe expert eye, Capri is also to be found in publicityby the Oviesse industry. For their advertisements,they have chosen protagonists who are dynamicyet refined, accessible yet sophisticated. These arethe ideas behind the lines portrayed against Caprisettings, chosen as glamorous icons of theMediterranean, on terraces overlooking the seaand drenched in sunshine.Capri also features in the vision of “paradise”offered by Lavazza. The two testimonials – PaoloBonolis and Luca Laurenti – meet Vittorio Viviani,theatre and character actor, who is acting thefamous character made famous by Totò in the filmfrom the 1950s, The Emperor of Capri, which theadvert pays homage to. The three are filmedagainst an artificial setting depicting the Piazzettaand the Faraglioni, showing their beauty andunderlining the happiness of finding such abeautiful place in Paradise too.It was the same Paradise that pasta manufacturerVoiello decided to make the prize for participantsin their competition ’O sugo ti porta a Capri in2008, well aware of how the profile of a womanlying beside the sea has always fascinated andattracted lovers of the sea.Finally, among the many commercials, we couldnot fail to mention the advert setting devoted to aname that is exquisitely and typically a Capribrand, Chantecler, which chose Batrice Borromeoin 2006, to wear its jewellery as she walks, smiling,through the narrow Capri streets. ■47