Mona Lisa Print Ad for Chanel in 1987

"Taxi!"

A well-dressed woman in Paris who looks like a fashion model walks down the street in broad daylight.

The young lady in high-fashion black-and-white clothes with black high heels is carrying the Mona Lisa. Which she just stole. She isn't too worried anyone will notice. Brazenly she hails a taxi. The driver won't notice, either.

Mona Lisa has been used for advertising a number of times in the past, but this is one of the most memorable uses of the famed artwork.

It gets your attention immediately. It's provocative like many perfume ads, but it's not in poor taste. It isn't even pushing the typical boundaries of physical decency; this woman is fully dressed from head to toe with pretty modest clothing.

The message seems to be women can be bold in their choices of luxury cosmetics and fragrances from Chanel. They may even steal hearts--at least those who aren't timid about seduction.

The advertising idea is original and brilliant. The photography layout is fine for the woman and her painting. But it could have been better still with the placement of the perfume bottle, lipstick, and nail polish. The nail polish bottle and lipstick over her left leg doesn't look very good. It just looks a bit awkward and somewhat clumsy.

If Chanel had used just the perfume bottle, left out the nail color and lipstick, it could have raised it up higher, and created perfect balance with Mona Lisa.

The absence of any text besides the brand name will appeal to some, leaving the imagery open to the imagination. But others could prefer the additon of a clever promotion line, too.

How many cosmetics ads do you still remember from the last 25 years? There really haven't been very many memorable ads for the cosmetics industry like this in the last few decades. They are usually much more low-key than this one, so it was a refreshing change courtesy of Chanel.

Rating: 3.0 stars