Symphony of scent: Dior Homme brings a world of molecular notes to life

Paris - Marketing a new men’s fragrance has traditionally involved a sexy male model clutching a bottle of aftershave as he poses with his top off.

Dior Homme is challenging the tried and tested method and is taking a more artful approach in the selling of its new Genesis scent, with an ad appealing to the discerning male consumer.

The monochrome ad, produced by Iconoclast and directed by French creative collective Megaforce, follows a drop of scent from its origins all the way to application on the body. Set to a dark operatic song by Son Lux the story starts with a perfumer who is likened to a composer and goes on to explore the 13 ingredients that make up the scent.

An interactive version of the video allows viewers to pause the narrative and find out more about each ingredient by simply pressing the space bar. For example, at one point it is revealed that the scent’s unique trail is best experienced at 98.6 degrees.

The ad acknowledges the rising connoisseurship among consumers who are increasingly looking towards more intellectual reference points, as explored in our scholarly scents microtrend.