PARIS, FRANCE — Lacoste kicks off its 90th anniversary. 90 years of the iconic Crocodile. 90 years defining French fashion sport. 90 years of a movement born on the court, growing from sport to street.
But this is not just another retrospective. The Crocodile marks its birthday with unique energy — living the present and celebrating the people moving the brand’s heartbeat across the globe today.
Who moves the Crocodile?
Founded by the original Crocodile, René Lacoste, the brand’s values of French elegance, movement, savoir-faire, creativity, and reinvention have transitioned seamlessly throughout every decade.
First loved by sports players, inspired by the free elegance of René’s own pro sporting family and charismatic friends, the Crocodile spread through France, across tennis and golfing terrains, beyond court and field, line and border. And with every new corner of the world Lacoste touched, a unique cultural cross-pollination occurred, deeply influencing and being influenced by street culture, popping onto fashion’s runways, collaborating with musicians, artists, and creators, tracing its way through the vintage retro scene, and being inscribed into pop culture.
The Crocodile is now a powerful identifying emblem for many — representing a living, connected heritage that never stops moving.
Nobody could have imagined the impact the brand would have on fashions and cultures so widely and diversely spread. And importantly, the impact these communities would have on the brand. Lacoste’s communities continue to infuse the brand with this ebullient spirit, inventing and reinventing what the brand codes mean to them. They help move the Crocodile.
A campaign of impossible encounters
With such rich cultural inspiration, Lacoste was poised to create a meaningful, emotion-charged 90th-anniversary campaign. But how would the brand spotlight the uniqueness of its communities, as stylistically different as they are geographically distanced? By taking its role as a cross-cultural connector to heart, creating a campaign of “Impossible Encounters,” made possible through the magic of style and cinema.
The campaign bridges pairs of its eight subcultures, each shot in their own meaningful locations and contexts, to highlight both their differences and their unexpected similarities — finding unique symmetry in their favorite meet-up spots, surprising parallels in clothing color palettes, and striking contrast between their minimalist/maximalist spirits. Through the power of Lacoste, each duo enters an unexpectedly witty fashion dialogue, when they appear to encounter and make eye contact with each other in a moment of mutual style appreciation. The two worlds, brought together by split screen, complete each other. A set of unexpected kindred spirits are bonded through Lacoste.
Heliopolis, Saõ Paulo to Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
A group of Lacosteiros from Saõ Paulo chat, chill and dance together. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, a group of friends meet up at a street corner in an iconic vintage fashion district. Catching eyes across oceans, both groups stop short to appreciate each other’s style.
Melreese Golf Club, Miami to Mini Golf du Prado, Marseille
An amateur golfer tees off, surrounded by her friends at Melreese Golf Club, Miami. Swing and hit! Through the magic of film, the ball crosses continents, landing a hole-in-one on a beach putt putt in Marseille, where a group of vintage lovers has fun in the sun. Surprised, the Marseille friends seek the origin of the ball, just as the Miami golfers look around to see where it’s gone. A moment of unexpected, impossible eye contact ensues.
Les Ardoines, Greater Paris to Harlem 125th St Station, New York City
Emerging from a train onto the platform in the Paris Banlieue, two friends styled head-to-toe in white Lacoste tracksuits appear to notice another pair of friends in their Lacostetennis whites, in New York City. A touch of incredulity and mutual respect as they appear to take in each other’s style.
Seoul, to Roland Garros, Paris
In the audience stands at Roland Garros, a little girl’s hat is caught by the wind, carried across borders and oceans, to land in the middle of a group of stylish girlfriends, chilling after a spirited game of tennis in Seoul. The little girl turns to search for her hat and is captivated by their style.
This campaign continues to build upon the fresh, humorous, pop-cultural editorial language, established through Lacoste’s iconic ad series “Unexpected Encounters,” launched in 2022.
Its authenticity and nuance are in large part thanks to a collaboration with local cultural “curators” who ensure the representation of each culture. Curators include Lacosteiros expert, Fernanda Souza (São Paulo), and Street Style Specialist, Motofumi “Poggy” Kogi (Tokyo).
Irish Photographer, Ronan Gallagher’s documentary approach, strong color, and fashion sensibility combine to inject colorful pop energy into each still shot. Having shot Lacoste’s iconic 2022 brand campaign, he continues to develop a unique visual language for the ever-evolving brand.
London-based Director and youth culture lover, Yoni Lappin, infuses wit into the short ad films, bringing together scenarized encounters with spontaneous authenticity.
French Digital Director Chris Saulnier’s social-first talents bring unstoppable dynamism to a profoundly anthropological project, bringing together community interviews, behind-the-scenes moments and playful style explorations.
The campaign is co-imagined by Lacoste and French creative agency BETC Paris.
CREDITS:
Campaign: The Impossible Encounters
Brand: Lacoste
Brand Managers: Catherine Spindler, Nathalie Beguinot, Julien Scheubel, Yoann Wenger, Mylene Atlan, Caroline Geraud
Ad Agency: BETC Paris
Agency Managers: Bertille Toledano, Marine Hakim, Maud Lambert, Suzy Morin
Chief Creative Officer: Remi Babinet
Executive Creative Director: Florence Bellisson
Art Director: Agnes Cavard
Copywriters: Symonne Torpy, Antoine Gauquelin
Junior Art Director: Joachim Touitou
Music Creative Director: Adam Ghoubali
Strategic Planner: Yann Chervet
Traffic Manager: Alexandra Chini
Art Buyer: Isabelle Mocq
Photographer: Ronan Gallagher
TV Producer: Yannis Cullaz
Production Company: COLORS
Director: Yoni Lappin
Producer: Jules Dieng
Sound Company: GUM
