THE ODYSSEY OF CARTIER, THE WARPFRAME

“L’Odyssée de Cartier” is a short film directed by Bruno Aveillan.
Agency: Marcel Production: Quad
Special Effects: Digital District
Music: Pierre Adenot
Panther tamer: Thierry Le Portier

Here the warpframe:

Identity 
The sender (Cartier) is represented by the jewel-encrusted panther , which breaks free from its dormant state and travels from France to Russia, China and India (the new emergent markets of luxury).

Relationship 
The relationship between the sender Cartier and the receiver is based on reliability, safety, tradition.

Style 
The communication style is sophisticated , elegant, exciting, full of mystery, wonder and discovery.

Signs 
The encrusted panther is  a symbol of Cartier.  The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris, the birthplace of Cartier.

The flying gems are a symbol of freedom and change. The sleigh, pulled by white horses is a symbol of Russia and of a journey, freedom and change.

The six great rings are a symbol of obstacles but also icons of jewels.

The gold dragon is the symbol of China and of prosperity. At the beginning the dragon is an obstacle, then, when it  recognizes the panther of Cartier , it transforms itself in the Great Wall and becomes a helper for the brand. The garden with the tree full of animal jewels is the symbol of richness.

The crocodile jewel and the snake jewel, are symbols of India. The peacock jewel is a symbol of luxury, vanity and richness.

The beautiful palace on the enormous elephant is symbol of India, too.

The airplane built by Alberto Santos-Dumont, to showcase the classic Cartier Santos watch (first commissioned by the Brazilian aviation legend in 1904) is a symbol of modernity but also tradition, innovation but also of passion for the past.

The great staircase is a symbol of upward social mobility.

Codes 
The architecture codes  imply we are in Russia, China, India and in France.  The furniture codes send an idea of richness, luxury, privilege. There are many closed circles in the video ( the six rings, the bracelet of the woman in red,  the domes) that send an idea of privilege, elite and closure.

Figures 
In this video clip there are many synecdoches ( the woman’s hand represents the woman in red who is looking for the panther, the Eiffel Tower represent the whole Paris, the Great Wall represent China and so forth).

Roots 
The panther is the archetype of the wanderer. The wanderer's goal is autonomy. Freedom is like the air he breathes. His task is to develop his sense of identity and assert his ideas. He fears conformity and compliance with written rules.

The woman in red is the archetype of the innocent. She is at the height of her accomplishment and has no further goals to achieve. She could only but fall, and fears the loss of bliss, of Paradise.

Roles 
The subject is the panther who desires to reach the woman in red (object). The opponent is the distance between it and her. The helpers  are the panther’s strength, the gold dragon, the plane. The sender is the brand Cartier, the receiver is the target.

Balance 
precious - Cartier Jewels and the woman in red
ordinary - the Parisian street, the frozen river
not precious - the sleigh, pulled by white horses, the great staircase
not ordinary - the airplane of Alberto Santos-Dumont, the dragon, the elephant, the panther

Sub-limen
There are the presuppositions:  the animal jewels  are masterpieces of Cartier jewellery and the commercial takes for granted that the audience has this knowledge

Conclusion  
This commercial was made to celebrate the 165 years of Cartier. It suggests that the jewellery of this historical French brand has a long tradition and the capability to innovate,  bringing  to the whole world the Cartier style .