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DIY Dreams From France and a Finnish Beer's Take on Zelenskyy's Fashion Sense
Our weekly roundup of Europe's best work
We’ll kick off with animated work by French home repair shop Leroy Merlin. Created by BETC Fullsix, “Paloma & Enzo” opens on a father working to realize an exacting blueprint to perfection. This is a great angle for a DIY brand: Everything around us is the approximation of what was once a dream. You can keep on dreaming, or help bring your wondrous visions into the real world.
A couple of weeks ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sat through a psychological ambush by the current U.S. administration. The episode included crude observations about VZ’s attire. The latter sounded like a spontaneous pile-on, but Zelenskyy’s sartorial choices were apparently an issue well before he entered the room. (Actually, people have been commenting on his wartime wardrobe for some time now.) Great agencies don’t miss opportunities. So when Zelenskyy came to Finland, Hasan & Partners created the following work for local beer brand Obolon. It’s not quite “Oreo Super Bowl,” but its simplicity and bald opportunism are in the same spirit. Nothing wrong with either.
Eighteen French rap and pop artists, from Adèle Castillon to Youssoupha, joined forces to make “Grand Soleil,” an anthem in the tradition of “Heal the World, “except it’s got more sunglasses-for-the-vibes energy. Led by the musician Damso, the track’s designed to take the punch of “urban” music to the fight against AIDS. Created for Sidaction in France, it hit streaming platforms on March 14 and was used to promote fundraising efforts. The project was conceived and produced by The Sound Production Paris and Dat-Way.
We’re entranced by this idea for Heineken by Le Pub Rome and Publicis Dublin. In Ireland, after 1872, pub owners were legally required to put their family names above establishment doors. A number of such pubs have endured a century and a half. But McLoughlin’s Pub, located on idyllic Achill Island, may end its 155-year run if it doesn’t find a successor who shares the moniker. Enter “Heineken Pub Succession.” If you’re a McLoughlin looking for a lifestyle change, you can apply at pubsuccession.com, but the link redirected us to a press site. Hopefully you’ll have better luck.
Angela Natividad is the European markets editor at Muse by Clios. 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.
