Who is Jean-Paul? A new way of marketing Impressionism

A program of marketing in the 21st Century is grabbing attention courtesy of a man of 19 Century.  Maybe you saw. It is hard to miss. You can find the top of the first big hat. Then move your eyes on his black coat, shirt and tie, the lowest embedded gold pocket watch in a tight jacket and finally the brass rod that sharp swings. It looks like Jean-Paul Brunier, a sartorialist travel to Paris in the 19th Century. He said he woke up one morning in the "wrong town, the wrong century" - caught in modern Chicago with his preppy outfits and a square camera, large format. For a man of 19 Century, Jean-Paul has mastered social media, with a Tumblr blog and Twitter persona (@ jeanpaul19). It shows the images of everyday street fashion, tweets and re-tweets. He even vlogs - a black-and-white video showed him grinning with "Ooh La La", as he looked in a box "cheese of the modern era" (aka spray cheese). Since it began in early June getaways a buzz, both outdoor and online have created near the preppy man. People stare, push and laugh. Others already know and recognize. An observer took a picture of him the city, tweets: "He it is," And Jean-Paul tweeted back: "This is the next time say hi!". Here is the non-secret secret: It Brunier is not real. It is not even French. The "Brunier" you see strutting in the streets of Chicago, is a local actor in the context of France only a passage to study there. The real Brunier is the CEO of French operation of the global advertising agency Leo Burnett. Leo Burnett Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago was hired to launch a campaign for his current exhibition "Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity", a collection of Impressionist paintings, clothing and other fashion items, the collection of the late 19th Century. Behind this character, "Jean-Paul", is a team: Producers who replica costumes and props to buy, under photographer for the blog Sepia and digital manager, tweet and post under his name. Leo Burnett was the planning and preparation for the introduction of John Paul since March. "It takes an army to do it as organic as it should be," said Mike Ward, Associate Creative Director at Leo Burnett Chicago. But the campaign is more than ticket sales, according to the folks at Leo Burnett and the Art Institute. At the final assessment of the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the basic idea of ​​the Art Institute was "the visitors in the fashion immersed at a time when fashion was to get anywhere," Gordon Montgomery, vice president of marketing, governance and compliance of the Art Institute, the e-mail. Like impressionist paintings in the exhibition to capture the everyday life and contemporary fashion in Paris 19th Century, the country was "to replicate this (Impressionism) experience - the idea that fashion is everywhere" in Chicago today. "We want to create a conversation about fashion and modern urban life - as every picture has so much history behind it," Chris said of late, an associate art director at Leo Burnett "So the challenge was." How can we make that life in Chicago today? " The answer: Wear Paris 19th Century to the 21st Century Chicago. Upgrade paintings in photos, walls screens. Do you have a blogging, Twitter, sartorialist photograph Paris in the 19th Century - a living, breathing mascot who can talk and joke, shoot and tweet, and draw a lot of attention to his extravagant clothes. The creative team from Leo Burnett also drew ideas from "The Sartorialist", a popular fashion blog, its author, Scott Schuman, published photos of street fashion, adding a brief note any outfit. "The inspiration for the character (John Paul) was that the Impressionists were sartorialists their time," said of the end. "Many times, exhibitions may be immaterial, so we wanted context (the public) is familiar." Ward said, and from the end, they were happy with the actor, whose names are, of course, to exercise restraint. They placed him only after a hearing in the first round. "It's just the perfect man," Ward said. "Anyone can grow a mustache like that. And the fact that he is not beautiful, that makes this work. We wanted someone, dedication and charm. You feel like you can walk up to him. (Actor) was that the heat that certain charm that puts you at ease. " But it will also lie without shaking in his mustache. Although no one seriously believes that this is the 19th Century, Jean-Paul remains stubbornly character. But perhaps because it is so apathetic to suspend your disbelief and go with it. It's fun when it bites you on Springs. For example, in relation to the sideburns and mustache in Logan Square: "copy me, I think they are all wearing hats, do something interesting with hats, but they are more liberal, and not gentlemen ..". Although counsel for the exhibition, Jean-Paul is not mentioned, the Art Institute, unless the conversation turns that direction. An exhibition of paintings with an occasional comment will appear occasionally on his blog, but this is the extent of the apparent Advertising Jean-Paul. "This is definitely not your normal campaign where you are Broadsides," said of the end. "We create value, many one-on-one interaction (Jean-Paul) and the public." "We just let it be a visitor," Ward said. "Let us go, activities to participate in activities. As a visitor, it has a lot to move and see pictures and comment., We have always seen as his own person. We give him free rein." Of course, that John Paul no visitors, but that does not prevent Chicago is pleased to local councils. Obviously, some have fallen for his act. Chris Mariano, the John Paul met at an event last Friday night at the Art Institute, he tweeted recommendations for Chartreuse (a French liqueur) and suggested he attend Lollapalooza meet other French Phoenix, one of the acts headlining this Sunday.