Taylor Hill and her longtime partner appear in a new fragrance effort. Image credit: Ralph Lauren
U.S. lifestyle company Ralph Lauren is sharing a message of love with the help of a real-life couple in a personal fragrance campaign.
Model Taylor Hill is the new face of Ralph Lauren Romance and appears alongside her longtime boyfriend Michael Stephen Shank in a short film and still campaign. Through sharing a real-life romance, Ralph Lauren adds another layer of authenticity and relatability to the effort.
Real romance
Ralph Lauren’s new spot immediately has an intimate feel, as it begins with Ms. Hill playing a record in what appears to be her apartment. The short film’s soundtrack is “Real Love” by Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne, which gives the spot a more contemporary feel.
A classic cinematic montage follows, beginning with Ms. Hill and Mr. Shank slow dancing in their apartment. They are also seen embracing in Central Park and dancing in the rain outside the Joyce Theater in the Chelsea neighborhood.
Ralph Lauren's new campaign follows a classic New York romance
In a reference to the rose notes in the Romance eau de parfum, a bouquet of roses is seen in the apartment and the theater marque reads “Roses.”
Throughout the film, Ms. Hill glances at the camera and Mr. Shank with a look of love and admiration.
As the song swells, the couple shares a kiss in each special place.
Both are dressed in All-American outfits that characterize the Ralph Lauren label. Ms. Hill wears a denim shirt with jeans and later appears in a belted white dress, while Mr. Shank wears a classic white T-shirt and jeans.
Ralph Lauren offers an accessible look at a contemporary relationship. Image credit: Ralph Lauren
The couple was also interviewed for the brand's RL Mag about their experience filming the campaign. The pair mentions that many of their personal romantic moments happen in the same places seen in the film, such as Central Park.
“Doing this with Michael was a whole different experience,” Ms. Hill told the online publication. “We know each other so well, it felt like just another day of our life.”
Recent efforts
While Romance has been part of Ralph Lauren's fragrance collection for two decades, the new effort with Ms. Hill is a way for the brand to introduce the scent to a new audience.
Recently, the brand’s “Lead Like a Woman” initiative centered on empowering women to lift each other up, with actress Jessica Chastain fronting a series of films featuring a cast of women in a range of fields. While a promotion for its Woman fragrance, Ralph Lauren’s effort took a topical approach that highlighted the company’s own endeavors to achieve greater equality.
For the latest effort around Woman, Ralph Lauren put the focus on the issue of parity in leadership positions. A series of three short films for Lead Like a Woman featured Ms. Chastain along with other figures sharing their thoughts on a topic (see story).
Ralph Lauren increased its spend on marketing in the second quarter by 30 percent as it made a push for its 50th anniversary celebrations.
The brand says that its efforts help drive record engagement on digital and social media, as well as earning it almost a third of all impressions during New York Fashion Week. Marketing is a key pillar of the company’s strategic plan, which led to a 2 percent revenue growth for the quarter, which ended on Sept. 29.
As millennials become a greater part of the luxury market, Ralph Lauren is working with celebrities and influencers to help reach younger buyers (see story).