Lacoste’s Life Is a Beautiful Sport Proposition
Nicknamed “the Crocodile”, Jean René Lacoste was a French tennis player of seven Grand Slam singles titles at the French, American, and British championships.
He rose to prominence in 1925 when he won the singles title at the French Open and at Wimbledon, and was subsequently ranked as World No1 player for both 1926 and 1927. And as as a member of the French team, Lacoste won the Davis Cup in 1927 and 1928 .
According to Lacoste’s son Bernard, the ‘Crocodile’ nickname came about when Lacoste made a bet with his team captain about winning a certain match for the prize of a crocodile leather suitcase he had seen in a Boston store. To mark winning the bet, his friend Robert George presented him with a blazer with an embroidered a crocodile motif that Lacoste was fond of wearing to his matches.
In 1993 Lacoste teamed up with prominent knitwear factory owner Andre Gillier, and founded the Lacoste company. They adopted the crocodile symbol as their logo that can be seen around the world today on Lacoste’s clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels and watches.
1. Lacoste, Timeless
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Superbly directed by Seb Edwards, the short story is a ‘time-jump’ through 80 years of history during which Lacoste evolved from a sports brand to a fashion brand.
Aided by a great soundtrack featuring Max Richter’s song ‘November’, the commercial makes for very rewarding viewing of ‘what makes life beautiful’.
2. Lacoste, The Crocodile Inside
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by Megaforce, the filmmakers collective of Leo Berne, Clement Gallet, Charles Brisgand and Raphaël Rodriguez, the scenario depicts a couple ‘releasing their crocodiles inside’ during a stormy argument that causes their world to dramatically fall apart.
But fortunately the passionate bonds of their relationship are strong enough for love to prevail in the end.
The metaphoric, cataclysmic dramatisations are filmic, and very engaging to view. The resonant soundtrack of “Hymne A L’amour” by Edith Piaf, is impactful and aptly emotive.
3. Lacoste, The Big Leap
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
The story about a budding romance and that emotional ‘leap’ to the first kiss and falling deeply in love, is a wonderful visual mix of metaphor and reality.
Directed with emotive sensibility by Seb Edwards, the soundtrack features the epic Flume remix of ‘You & Me’ by Disclosure ft. Eliza Doolittle.
4. Lacoste, Match Point
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by the filmmaking duo Pierre Dupaquier and Clement Durou, who go by the name ‘We Are From LA’ or ‘WAFLA’, the ‘Match Point’ commercial is a very watchable allegorical phantasy about two independently minded lovers, each wanting to go their individual way.
They eventually decide to ‘bridge’ the gap that divides them by casting their differences aside and to follow the route their hearts call for to arrive at a passionate ‘match point’.
5. Lacoste, Save Our Species
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
In partnership with the Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Lacoste leveraged the global recognition of their iconic crocodile logo in a laudable brand activation initiative to highlight the world’s 10 most critically threatened animals needing protection.
The topical issue that the “Save Our Species” campaign successfully brought to the fore of social consciousness, deservedly won two golds in the 2019 Clio Fashion & Beauty awards.