fbpx

Hallenstein Brothers confirms that Jay Alvarrez has a better life than everyone else

Over the last few months, Jay Alvarrez has become something of a YouTube and Instagram sensation through a series of videos and images that show him skydiving, surfing, flying helicopters, visiting tropical islands and just living what appears to be the ideal life.

And in case there was any doubt that the ridiculously good-looking Alvarrez and his annoyingly gorgeous girlfriend had way better lives than pretty much every other person in the world, Hallenstein Brothers has now confirmed it by commissioning the pair to appear in its new brand spot. 

Filmed on location in Rio De Janeiro with the city’s favelas conveniently out of shot, the spot covers very similar ground to a standard Alvarrez video, with the only real difference being that the group of bros are all dressed in suits. 

“Hallenstein Brothers recognise that more and more guys like getting into a suit, but they don’t like the restrictive feeling of traditional suits,” says Lachlan McPherson of Lach and Friends, the agency that the Kiwi clothing label worked with to produce the spot. “The new H Brothers tailored range lets them move with a whole new level of freedom.”

This spot slots in snugly alongside the previous two spots that Lach and Friends developed for Hallenstein Brothers. The previous ad had The Script lead singer Danny O’Donoghue exploring the photogenic streets of Cuba, while the one before that featured motocross rider Carey Hart riding across the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

The use of an Instagram celebrity in the spot is a bit of a divergence from the previous two, because unlike O’Donoghue and Hart, Alvarrez’s fame isn’t derived from excelling in a particular field but rather from documenting his incredible life on social media.

It’s by no means unusual to see young exhibitionists puffing their chests on social media—locally, Max Key has also taken to YouTube to give viewers a glimpse at his life. But the tendency of privileged kids to flaunt on social media hasn’t been without controversy. 

One of the clearest examples of this would be the The Rich Kids of Tehran Instagram page, which features young Iranians showcasing their wealth through images of fancy watches, cars and attire. 

This Instagram account eventually provoked the ire of less privileged Iranians who responded by posting parodies and also creating a counter page called the Poor Kids of Tehran.  

Hahaha @ardeshirahmadi ・・・ ????? Rich kids of Tehran @therichkidsoftehran

A photo posted by Rich Kids of Tehran (@therichkidsoftehran) on

 

Such examples of social outrage about the continued problem of economic inequality are however unlikely to dissuade Alvarrez—or those who will follow in his stead—from publicising the extent of his privilege via social media. This means we’re likely to see a few more videos of him flying over another exotic location in the near future—and given his marketability, other brands will no doubt also tag along for the ride and maybe even foot some of the bill. 

Credits:
Agency: Lach and Friends
Client: Hallenstein Brothers
Director: Derek Kettela
Production: UXE
Music: Imagine Dragons, I Bet My Life
Music synch: PEP
   

About Author

Comments are closed.