In a new ad for Guinness, (by Amv BBDO) the Sapeurs are featured in their finest. The ad was inspired by the real-life Sapeurs who live in Brazzaville, Congo and have gone on to make a name for themselves, even Sir Paul Smith designed a collection in 2009 that mirrored their aesthetic. Their colourful stance on life went on to inspire an agency in marketing beer next. Whether written by a clever copywriter or by the men themselves, the narrators words could not be truer, “In life you cannot always choose what you do, but you can always choose who you are”. In this case these gentleman come from gritty, labor-intensive jobs and once home, transform peacock-like. Even though the ad is translated to come off more cinema, the ethos of these men and their spirit is certainly present. They end off with a line from Invictus that’s worth remembering: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” See the ad below and the accompanying documentary here.
Source: BBC