Whats the best way to sell a product? Should manufacturers concentrate on the product itself, or should they try to sell it as part of a lifestyle choice? Well, judging by the way the chesterfield sofa is increasingly used in advertising these days; it would appear that you need to concentrate on aspirational marketing and selling a lifestyle. The clever advertisers paint a picture of domestic bliss, stylish modern living or traditional homely comfort. The thing is these iconic chesterfield sofas and chairs are stealing the show, though its arguable whether that wasnt actually the advertisers intention. Still, chesterfield sofas have been stealing the headlines for centuries now and will no doubt continue to do so.
It started with Virgin Medias advertisement for their TiVo box. Wheel in a famous actor, Mark Warren: sit him on a stylish contemporary chesterfield sofa and sell a lifestyle along with the product, and hey presto, youre onto a winner. The advert is now legendary as is the sofa, and Virgin are laughing all the way to the bank. Then came Boss with their Orange fragrance for men: cue Orlando Bloom, and a host of traditional chesterfield chairs. The tills then started ringing job done. If that was good enough for Boss, it was also good enough for Liam Gallagher. He chose to market his Pretty Green fashion labels latest collection by employing the services of a be-suited Paul Weller and a sumptuous-looking chesterfield chair. A classic cut suit and a classic item of furniture: it was the match made in heaven.
Not to be outdone, Boss is back in the mix again with its female fragrance version of Orange. The advert pictures English actress Sienna Miller seductively draped across an ultra-stylish chesterfield-inspired white leather chair. She might be better known as an actress in films like Alfie, or the on-off-on partner of fellow actor Jude Law, or even as one of the witnesses in the current Leveson Enquiry into media standards, yet Miller is the perfect choice for the latest fragrance campaign: a typical English rose, but with modern appeal and a sense of fun. Traditional classic looks with a contemporary twist. Hence the contemporary chesterfield chair: sleek and stylish, but with an impeccable pedigree.
