Brands fighting for people's attention are nothing new. Any weapon is "kosher" in the brands war. Spin-offs and imitations sometimes create the most clever ads. We, consumers, are often used as an audience in these brand wars. Sometimes we watch those from the side, and sometimes they make us to participate. Our participation is provoked by the brand itself, intentionally or unintentionally.

That was the case in the recent Sisley case, after very well executed ads featuring "Fashion Junkie" models was leaked to the internet. The racy ads took Blogosphere by storm, creating about 7,000 posts mentioning Sisley in the last month only. I bet this was amazing conversion number for the Italian brand that isn't a center of the fashion spotlight.

It took Sisley about 2-3 weeks to come up with a legal statement removing their connection to the ads and the "drugged' models. They went as far as posting this statement on every blog post that allowed comments (including MyItThings, where the campaign was featured as well).

Few things to note:
- Sisley did not really requst to remove the images from blogs, but to remove the link to their site.
- The ads were super slick and well done, which raises a question on who would go as far as creating this expensive campaign without seeking any profit goals.
- After Googling Zoo Advertising (Shanghai, China), the agency signed on the ads, and receiving mostly local zoos in results we can only wonder whether this agency really exist.

Sisley taught us a thing or two about Fakedvertising. Obviously, we all bought it, which means the campaign was already successful, whether Sisley or someone else was behind it. The brand got huge amount of buzz over the web, and we all agree that there is nothing better than bad PR these days (just ask Lindsay, Britney and Paris).

To finish the story, coincidentally the new "official" Sisley ads appeared this week online. They feature fashion icon Stephanie Seymour doing the other "inappropriate" thing with a male model who’s face is smashed (or covered in embarrassment?) I guess this is what Sisley calls "appropriate".

I personally think the Fakedvertising was much more creative than the real thing, although drugs, sex and rock-and-roll are all equally "inappropriate" according to what I was thought in school.


Post on MyItThings featuring the fake ad: http://myitthings.com/allaboutfashion/Post/fashion/It_Brand/Sisley_s_new_ad_campaign_promotes_drugs/11712200722575384.htm