I've received a number of replies from people who like the ads - while others
think they're in poor taste. One pointed out that the ads turn Hepburn into "a
commodity to be bought and sold (with respect to her
commercial rights) and/or demeans her memory by using her incredible
talent as a tool to sell (products)."
However, Audrey Hepburn's likeness and
image are vigilantly controlled by her two sons (Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti).
All proceeds (from a
million to tens of millions of dollars) - go to the Audrey Hepburn
Children's Fund or to UNICEF. And all content must first be cleared by the
sons so that they do NOT, in their opinion, besmirch Hepburn's memory. The
sons have turned down other endorsement offers - and in my view - the two TV
ads linked here aren't crass nor as bad as the ad featuring Fred Astaire
dancing with a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner.
Hepburn's eldest son Sean Ferrer is quite volatile. Before it was permanently
closed to the public, we visited the Audrey Hepburn museum and
gravesite in Tolochenanz, Switzerland. While there, no other visitors were
present - just a single volunteer. Signs prohibiting picture-taking were
posted everywhere. But we got lucky because the lone volunteer was friendly
and/or was just bored - and she let me take a lot of photos under the condition
that I use existing light and NOT flash. I got a lot of shots off and just a
few are posted below.
Several years ago, after the museum's shop was found selling souvenirs like
you'd find at Graceland, Sean Ferrer pulled all of his mother's costumes, movie
posters, letters and her two Oscars - shutting the museum down. He has since
changed his story several times, first saying he hated the museum selling tacky
souvenirs - and then he recanted, saying he had no problems with the museum nor
with the souvenirs
being sold for charity - but he just couldn't get along with town leaders who
wanted to promote the museum anyway they wished. Whatever the reasons, there's
no Audrey Hepburn museum anymore. -d.
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:11:23 +0000
From: filmfantast...@msn.com
Subject: Re: OT: Audrey Hepburn's latest TV commercial.
To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
One of the last films I worked on was Robin and Marian. Getting Sean
Connery and Audrey Hepburn in one swoop was a joy. She was so wonderful
and so unassuming. What a wonderful person. A few years after she
passed away, the Director's Guild gave Blake Edwards an award and they
screened Breakfast at Tiffanys, which he spoke about with such
a heartfelt warmth. He called her his "lovely, lovely Audrey". It was
an emotional moment. Sue Heim
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:57:19 -0400
From: douglasbtay...@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: [MOPO] OT: Audrey Hepburn's latest TV commercial.
To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Can’t
comment on the commercials but I got to meet her, briefly, in the
mid-80’s…helped her on with her jacket. She was struggling with it, a
bit, and I helped her. She was startled, at first, than
perfectly…beautifully, elegant.
Regards,
DBT
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:36:44 -0700
From: davidmkusum...@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: OT: Audrey Hepburn's latest TV commercial.
To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Interesting reactions from MoPoers (intriguingly, all private) to the latest
Audrey Hepburn commercial. Some hated it or thought Audrey's image looked
"fake." Others thought it was poignant. Meanwhile, here's the other, earlier,
more famous (and equally controversial) Audrey commercial that incorporated
footage from 1957's "Funny Face" to sell skinny jeans for The Gap (2006). It
shows Audrey dancing to AC/DC's "Back in Black."
The 30-second Gap commercial can be viewed by clicking the link above or below
the photo below:
http://bit.ly/ZLsFH1
http://bit.ly/ZLsFH1
A memorable article in the Huffington Post in late 2006:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-miller/audrey-hepburn-dead-is-th_b_29484.html
...captures the controversial gist of using dead people to sell products. - d.
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:28:28 -0700
From: davidmkusum...@hotmail.com
Subject: OT: Audrey Hepburn's latest TV commercial.
To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
** AUDREY HEPBURN RETURNS TO LIFE IN A CHOCOLATE AD. ** Not everyone likes this
spot, whereby a CGI-generated Audrey is meshed with new footage as she sings
"Moon River" in the background. This spot was authorized by her sons, Sean
Ferrer and Luca Dotti. I personally think it's fine. Click on the link below
Audrey's image. (Bruce first posted this video on his FB wall last week.)
http://bit.ly/ZEdVtp
http://bit.ly/ZEdVtp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Audrey Hepburn Resurrected For New Commercial By JARETT WIESELMAN, E.T. News
February 26, 2013 Dearly departed Audrey Hepburn is the latest celebrity to
be resurrected by the ad industry so she can star in a new commercial.
In the spot for Galaxy (a British chocolate brand), Hepburn is sightseeing
in Italy when her tour bus gets delayed. Luckily she stops across from a
handsome stranger as her version of Moon River begins to play. What happens
from there is classic Hepburn, but how did the ad come to be?
Hepburn's sons, who control her estate, authorized the use of her image
for a fee. Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti say their mother would be "proud" of her
new role, adding in a press release that she "often spoke about her love of
chocolate and how it lifted her spirit."
Hepburn is not the first (nor will she be the last) dead celebrity who
Madison Avenue has brought back to life thanks to advanced technology used in
order to hawk a product. Chris Farley shilled for DirecTV, Fred Astaire danced
for Dirt Devil, John Lennon rocked out for Rock Band, Gene Kelly grooved for
Volkswagen, John Wayne sipped on Coors Light and Kurt Cobain wore his Doc
Martens in heaven.
You'll also recall that Hepburn already starred in another modern day ad
when The GAP had her pushing pants.
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