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Loewe jests with North Americans, giving Spanish spelling lesson

April 1, 2024

The duo dons classic looks from every decade as they make light of how few North Americans know how to pronounce the brand's name. Image credit: Loewe The duo dons classic looks from every decade as they make light of how few North Americans know how to pronounce the brand's name. Image credit: Loewe

 

Spanish fashion label Loewe is eyeing the growing number of its customers hailing from Canada and the United States.

In jest, the brand is giving them a Spanish spelling and pronunciation lesson with the help of two millennial actors from the region, Aubrey Plaza and Dan Levy. Written by Mr. Levy, the short film, Decades of Confusion, demonstrates how to write out and say aloud “Loewe.”

Wrong answers only
The two-and-a-half-minute-long film takes place from the 1970s to the present day.

Ms. Plaza plays various contestants in spelling bees occurring every decade. Hosted by Mr. Levy, she is asked to spell “Loewe.”

The film teaches the world how to say The film teaches the world how to say "Loewe," while using comedy to keep things light-hearted. Image credit: Loewe

Tongue-and-cheek humor shows how confused many English speakers are about the pronunciation of the brand’s name.

The actress captures the styles and personalities of each 10-year time period as she comedically tries to say the word and guess which letters are used. The most common mistakes are made, all the while Mr. Levy shaking his head and offering sarcastic banter.

Wearing Loewe pieces, both actors sport wigs throughout from award-winning hair stylist Michelle Ceglia. Known for her work on The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 and, more recently, Madame Web, the artist transforms the stars into embodiments of the widely different decades.

In the 1970s, Ms. Plaza wears a blonde feathered wig classic to the era and, like Mr. Levy, giant glasses.

The next time around, she is seen in a bright turquoise dress suit and a brunette perm. The host’s dramatic mustache and aviator-esque eyeglasses echo the look of news anchors from the day.

Ms. Plaza's 1990s outfit is classic to the decade, reminding many who lived through it of women who were frequently on the world stage. Image credit: Loewe Ms. Plaza's 1990s outfit is classic to the decade, reminding many who lived through it of women who were frequently on the world stage. Image credit: Loewe

In the 1990s, Ms. Plaza’s goes back to blonde, this time shorter with bangs. Between the hairstyle and her neutral pantsuit, scenes of American politician Hillary Clinton during her husband’s time in office come to mind, the blonde First Lady famously embracing suits during his White House term from 1993 to 2001.

Mr. Levy’s bleached highlights and shaggy cut, meanwhile, evoke fashion culture from the time period.

While he reels it in during the most modern segment, taking on tamer, more currently familiar looks, Ms. Plaza goes in the opposite direction. With a dramatic black bowl cut, she stands on stage in an ebony-hued dress shaped like a car.

None of the characters that she plays can spell the brand’s name in the end.

Mr. Levy concludes the film by sharing the proper spelling and pronunciation. Upon finding out that a “W” is needed, Ms. Plaza expresses her frustration with a bleeped-out profanity, ending the production with light-hearted sense of humor.

The actress is known for her comedic chops and has been a resource for Loewe in the past (see story).

Loewe presents "Decades of Confusion"

This time around, her presence does more than add a playful tone to the campaign — she is a relatable presence to the label’s target audience, granting the effort a colorful yet helpful storyline. This steers the brand clear of condescension, which can be an issue when embarking on instructional messaging.

Luxury resale platform Vestiaire Collective recently attempted a similar endeavor last month (see story). Noticing that its growing American customer base has trouble saying its name, the French business, like Loewe, gave a language lesson while adopting upbeat narratives to keep things breezy.