Okie doke!

Based on the original location feedback and the legal input regarding the creative setting, we’ve chosen the Fontaine des Innocents near Les Halles and the Fontaine des Mers at Place de la Concorde.

My initial plan was to design the machine for the Les Halles location. I spent quite a bit of time creating a new machine inspired by our original discussions but with a touch more chaos...

Here was an initial animation test:

I then realized I preferred pursuing the “glow” serum at the Concorde location, so I resized the machine to fit into the smaller hydrator bottle. I also began exploring the idea of the statue functioning as an active mechanical installation, reworking the bottle to include a sliding door that revealed the machine.

However, after several explorations, I began to worry that this aesthetic strayed too far from Clinique’s brand. While I recognize that my role is to bring an artistic touch, I couldn’t help but feel the look no longer felt distinctly “Clinique.” Since this was one of the primary concerns in our conversations (making sure the design feels on-brand), I explored more muted options. Eventually, I decided the best route was to explicitly connect this installation to your other campaign.

So I set out to recreate the machine that had been shared with me, with one modification: I added a water reservoir above the installation, also in the shape of the jar.

My belief is that this is ultimately the best approach. The installation contains enough FOOH surrealism to feel imaginative, while the inner machine visually ties to the collateral you’ll be posting elsewhere, making it feel more believable.

I also wanted to ensure strong brand elements remained. For the final clip, I felt it worked best to open with a reverse shot showing the label. The video overall is subtle and simple (especially compared to the Glow clip), but it feels authentic - like something someone might capture while on vacation in Paris.

Next steps for discussion:

• How the team feels about this approach and aesthetic solution

• Branding issues (I’d like to get the latest label information to ensure mine is current)

• Fine-tuning details (the cream color isn’t yet consistent, and the water in the machine needs refinement for realism)

• Sound and timing

Without further ado, here is Draft V1 of the Hydrator Clip.