Ad of the Day: Charlize Theron Perfects the Art of the Fragrance Spot for Dior

Just don't overthink it

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There's an inherent impossibility in advertising something physically intangible—say, a scent—via print or television. This, presumably, is why the fragrance industry attempts to sell an idea of a product rather than the product itself.

In the case of a designer fragrance for women, that "idea" tends to come to life in the form of an A-list celebrity (or occasionally a model) wandering aimlessly in some decadent setting, perhaps uttering an awkward phrase or two, preferably in a language not her own, and generally causing the average TV viewer to think, "What on earth was that all about?"

Case in point: Dior's new spot for J'adore.

Dior's minute-long "film," titled "The Future Is Gold," is about as textbook a fragrance ad as one could imagine.

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