Gorbachev's Louis Vuitton Campaign: Best of the Decade
Louis Vuitton’s cooperation with Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and the last president of the USSR, produced one of the best advertising campaigns of the 2000s.
Gorbachev appeared in LV ads two years ago. The campaign was designed to reflect the idea of the art of traveling. The former president of the USSR was photographed sitting on the backseat of a very expensive retro car. Mr. Gorbachev was depicted sitting next to a LV road bag with some documents resting on it. Gorbachev’s limousine was pictured passing the remaining part of the Berlin Wall.
The image of the politician, who spent a half of his life on the road, was designed by Annie Leibovitz, a well-known photographer. The New York Times wrote that the ad of the luxury brand was a rather curious one. The publication poking out of the LV bag had the following headline written in Russian: “The Murder of Litvinenko: They Wanted To Give Up the Suspect for $7,000.”
After Gorbachev, Annie Leibovitz photographed a number of world-known Hollywood and sports celebrities. However, Gorbachev’s photos for Louis Vuitton became one of the best commercial photos of the decade, AdWeek wrote.
Mikhail Gorbachev has an extensive experience of working as a model. In 1997, he appeared in Pizza Hut commercials . In 2000, Mr. Gorbachev participated in the promotion of Austria’s Railways. Gorbachev appeared in Louis Vuitton ads in September 2007. The ads originally appeared in US issues of Vogue magazine.
Gorbachev’s fee for his LV campaign has not been exposed. When making the Pizza Hut commercial, Gorbachev was paid $150,000.
