Ridley Scott, the visionary director that brought us sci-fi classics like Blade Runner and Alien (the first, good one) has teamed up with Hennessy X.O — which stands for Extra Old — for an ad that takes us on a visually stunning journey through the seven tasting notes of Hennessy’s top-shelf cognac. Through the use of cutting edge CGI, Scott has imagined a whole universe for us to get lost in and it’s some of his most compelling work in a while. Which totally sounds like a slight to Sir Ridley Scott, but it really isn’t, this ad would make Don Draper himself envious!
Dubbed “The Seven Worlds,” Scott’s full ad runs at just over four minutes and takes us through futuristic caverns, sprawling wastelands, some type of new age 3D printer, and lush forests, set to music that ebbs and flows in intensity. It’s the most beautiful commercial about getting trashed, ever.
Clearly more of a short film than an ad — we can’t imagine anyone sitting for a four-minute commercial, beauty be damned — a 60-second version will premier during The Oscars 91st telecast this Sunday. Which totally explains why there are big generic golden statuesque men wandering around in the desert during the ‘II Rising Heat’ section. Editing the ad down by 25% seems like quite the task, surely some of the most beautiful imagery is going to be left on the cutting room floor.
Ridley Scott’s most recent films rarely hit the heights of his classic late 70s and early 80s output, but this Hennessy ad sure does leave us wanting more of these worlds Scott has dreamed up. Pour some Yak, and check out the full length.
