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Solarbox Revives a Dead King So Some Guy Can Get a Clean Shave
Putting the sun (king) to work
Some ads exist just to be weird, and these are of that ilk. For Solarbox, a French photovoltaic panel provider, Fred & Farid L.A. came up with a new tagline: “Faites Travailler le Soleil,” or “Put the Sun to Work.”
Director Rémy Cayuela brings the phrase to life by showcasing the utility of photovoltaic panels—magical, but unsexy to film—through a comic metaphor.
In the ads, people preparing to do something electrical ring a dainty bell, thereby summoning Louis XIV, or the Sun King. The man himself swaggers in, flanked by attendants that bring all the pomp and circumstance of Versailles into bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms and yards. Then, with as much dignity as he can muster, he mounts a bicycle and sets himself to providing kinetic energy to the accoutrements of plebeians.
Talk about putting power to work.
“We always find it a genuine joy to build a brand, a branding, a territory, a language, a tone, a tagline,” the agency beams. “‘Faites travailler le Soleil’ is a powerful, effective, versatile platform that’s built to last.” We hope the same can be said for Louis’ cardiovascular system!
Angela Natividad is the European markets editor at Muse by Clio. She also writes about gaming and fashion, and whatever else she’s interested in, really. She’s based in Paris and North Italy, so if you’re local, say hi. She might eat all your food.
