Danish clothier Jack & Jones, a fashionable menswear brand aimed at the young consumer market, hired Copenhagen ad agency & Co. to create the campaign theme “Made From Cool” for its sub brand Premium. PREMIUM by Jack & Jone is a brand focusing on craftsmanship, high quality, attention to detail and style before fashion. Director Martin Werner, one of Scandinavia’s most awarded and highly sought after directors, produced the series of five short films, whose primary target is the online media – Jack & Jones’s Facebook Page, Jack & Jones’s Twitter Page, Jack & Jones’s Pinterest Page, Jack & Jones’s Google+ Page, Jack & Jones’s Instagram Page. The titles for the advertising films are: “Sewing it up”, “Making the cut”, “On the button”, “Wool from cool” and “Knit the wit”. The choice of personality is the key to the campaigns success.

Who is the coolest, not just hype cool, I mean creepy cold coolest type other than the Oscar-winning actor known for his unmistakable brazen drawl, Christopher Walken who doesn’t say a word but instead, just stares. He has appeared in more than 100 movies but no campaign films because of his no-campaigns rule. These spots were especially created for him, which is why he made an exception. He represents style rather than fashion, just like his acting which is first class. He is a great representation of the Jack & Jones brand and now their favourite style icon.

Christopher Walken is “Made From Cool” himself, wearing the Jack & Jones label. In each film, he goes about making clothes in an insanely intense, meticulous, and strange supernatural way. They are creepy yet brilliant ads that do a good job of selling the brand as stylish and high quality.

In each film, Walken’s piercing stare builds tension to enhance a hypnotic atmosphere. You wouldn’t want to look away and miss a moment or you just might get your finger cut off. The short films take place in a dark neo-Gothic New York City loft. Beams of lights through frosted windows, dim interior lighting, smoky hazes, iron, headless mannequins, jail-like railings create a creepy haunted house like aura in each room. The timber floor creaks, without making a sound. The space is juxtaposed with elements of warmth – sitting next to a fireplace knitting. Dark tones of warm and cold greys, charcoal black, steel, with touches of dark timber browns, and ochre are key elements of colour used for visual effectiveness.

The sounds of creepy flicks, hypnotic ticking of an old grandfather clock (there are 3 in one room), mad drawing, tearing, the whip of a measuring tape against the floor, and a super- speed sewing machine keep the viewers attention. The sounds are set against a collaboration of music between music stylist Jesper Gadeberg and Soundtree featuring Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds off their latest album, Push the Sky Away. The track is called We Real Cool. “Who took your measurements from your toes to the top of your head?”

The success of the campaign has been reported in London’s The Telegraph, GQ magazine (UK), Adweek, and is building its online presence. Danish agency &Co has won the 2013 Epica Awards film grand prix for its ‘Made From Cool’ campaign.

I never thought I get so spooked about needles & threads. Sharing my comments about the only advertising campaign with Christopher Walken was as a thrill. Jack & Jones styled men will know the mysterious works that go into the quality of each shirts, sweaters, and suit worn.