We all know David Lynch for his dark and enigmatic films like Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. But the auteur who passed away today was not just a groundbreaking filmmaker but also a creative force in the world of advertising.
Over the years, Lynch directed several commercials, bringing his signature surrealist touch and haunting visual style to brands ranging from luxury fragrances to video game consoles. These commercials, often as memorable as his films, are a testament to his ability to infuse even the most mundane products with an otherworldly quality.
The Calvin Klein Obsession Campaign
In the late 1980s, Lynch directed a series of poetic commercials for Calvin Klein’s Obsession fragrance. Featuring quotes from literary icons like D.H. Lawrence and F. Scott Fitzgerald, the ads paired moody visuals with haunting narration. The result was a series of evocative mini-films that elevated fragrance advertising to an art form, embodying the emotional intensity suggested by the product’s name.
PlayStation 2’s “The Third Place”
Perhaps one of Lynch’s most surreal commercial works came in 2000, when he directed an ad for Sony’s PlayStation 2. Titled The Third Place, the commercial featured bizarre, dreamlike imagery, including a talking duck, unsettling soundscapes, and fragmented visuals. The ad’s cryptic tone perfectly captured the sense of mystery and curiosity that the console was aiming to evoke, making it an unforgettable piece of gaming history.
Twin Peaks Meets Georgia Coffee
For fans of Lynch’s iconic TV series Twin Peaks, his series of commercials for Georgia Coffee in Japan is a delightful treat. These ads featured FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) investigating a mystery tied to the coffee brand, blending the show’s quirky charm with Lynch’s signature sense of unease. The commercials are beloved for their ability to transport viewers back to the Twin Peaks universe while promoting a product.
Alka-Seltzer’s Strange Dinner
Lynch’s knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary was on full display in his early 1990s commercial for Alka-Seltzer. Titled Dinner, the ad depicted a surreal meal with exaggerated sound effects and odd, unsettling moments. Lynch transformed the simple act of taking antacid relief into an experience viewers wouldn’t forget.
Luxury and Mystery: Yves Saint Laurent and Barilla
Lynch lent his artistry to high-end brands as well. In 1997, he directed a commercial for Yves Saint Laurent’s fragrance Opium. The ad was a sensual and mysterious journey, with Lynch using his trademark dreamlike imagery to create a sense of intrigue.
Similarly, his work for Barilla Pasta in the early 1990s leaned into romantic, atmospheric visuals, showcasing his versatility and ability to adapt to different tones.
Adidas
Lynch collaborated with Adidas in the 1990s, crafting an ad that blended fragmented visuals and surreal imagery to make a bold impression.
Clear Blue Pregnancy Test
Lynch’s straightforward yet subtly intriguing commercial for Clear Blue showed his ability to distill complex emotions into concise narratives.
Lynch’s Philosophy on Commercials
While commercials may seem an unlikely medium for an artist like Lynch, he embraced them as a creative challenge. “It’s a chance to experiment with ideas and visuals,” Lynch once remarked in interviews, explaining how the constraints of time and format pushed him to think outside the box. His commercials often felt like extensions of his films—short bursts of surrealism that could leave viewers both intrigued and unsettled.
David Lynch’s commercials are more than just marketing tools—they are art in their own right. Whether promoting a video game console, a luxury fragrance, or even antacid relief, Lynch’s ads remind us of his unparalleled ability to infuse the mundane with the extraordinary. They serve as a fascinating footnote in a career that forever changed the landscape of storytelling, both on the big screen and beyond.
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
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