'Strongman' features a cast of high-spirited characters witnessing a contest between a muscled individual from a Parisian commune pitting his strength against an equally beefy competitor from a different borough. Though the local hero wins, both camps join the festivities at the bar, where they enthusiastically imbibe Richelieu in a spirit of camaraderie and good humour.
Many viewers' amused reaction - only in Paris! - is precisely the response aimed for by the ad's creators, headed by FCB Cape Town creative director Francois de Villiers, art director Brenton Bubb, copywriter Dylan Kidson and production house Velocity.
"The objective was to reaffirm the brand's French heritage while driving drive home the notion of camaraderie and reward," says Daryl Dixon, account manager for Distell at FCB Cape Town.
"The commercial suggests that Richelieu is the ultimate reward after a long day's work. It embodies the age-old French tradition, not only of brandy making but of living life to the fullest. Richelieu drinkers are full of joie de vivre, they have fun and, as the ad shows in its witty finale, they also get the girl. Which, of course, is typically French!"
