With its black cigar-shaped design, three gold rings and handcrafted gold nib, the Meisterstück has become synonymous with Montblanc as the Maison’s most recognizable product. To mark a century since this global symbol of writing culture was first introduced in 1924, Montblanc has partnered with American director and screenwriter Wes Anderson to create a campaign that takes viewers on a journey into the extraordinary world of Montblanc seen through the filmmaker’s eyes.
Featuring actors Rupert Friend, Jason Schwartzman, and Wes Anderson himself, the story follows three colourful characters at the fictional Montblanc Headquarters atop the Mont Blanc mountain, as they introduce the Maison, its story and its most recognized creation, as never seen before, in Anderson’s signature style with its distinctive visual aesthetic and blend of eccentric, unconventional storytelling. To truly celebrate the collaboration with Anderson and the Meisterstück anniversary, the new campaign’s influence will be embraced throughout Montblanc’s marketing approach during this centenary year.
The film is packed with sophisticated wit and filled with both subtle and not-so-subtle references to the Maison’s DNA and its luxury companions: the mountain setting in the opening scene is a reference to the company’s name and emblem that represents the snow-capped peak of the Mont Blanc, the imaginary Montblanc Observatory High-Mountain Libraryis a nod to the brand’s recent Library Spirit campaign that spotlights the inspirational power of libraries and Montblanc’s connection to the universe of words, and the desk is the place where the magic of writing and creation happens.
“For 100 years, the Meisterstück has captured millions of stories, passing through the hands of authors, creatives, and everyday writers. It was finally time to make this writing icon the protagonist of the story, but we wanted to do it in a way that was completely unexpected and surprising. That’s why we invited Wes Anderson, one of today’s great storytellers, to put his own unique spin on the world of Montblanc through his inimitable storytelling and unmistakable visual identity. It’s certainly a very different way for our Maison to show up, and we are excited for the world to rediscover us in a new light”, explains Vincent Montalescot, Montblanc Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer.
While the characters introduce the ‘fountain pen designed over 100 years ago for the adventurous traveller’ and debate its qualities as a pioneering innovation, the Meisterstück isn’t the only product to get a role in the film. Watches and leather goods also make an appearance, an insight into the multi-category nature of Montblanc.
Sat at a desk in the Writing Room, the characters put pen to paper reminding viewers of the joy and value of handwriting, whether a journal entry, a letter or even a novel. During their lively conversation, the characters playfully call out the brand’s various campaigns and taglines, closing with an invitation to re-discover the experience of writing by hand: Let’s Write.
To bring his vision to life, Anderson joined forces with his longstanding creative partners: Roman Coppola who acted as a producer and co-director, producers Jeremy Dawson and John Peet, Stephan Gessler as supervising art director and Academy Awardwinning director of photography, Linus Sandgren.
In addition to the film, Rupert Friend, American actress Maude Apatow, Indian-American actor and designer Waris Ahluwalia, Korean actor and Montblanc Mark Maker Lee Jinuk and Chinese actor and Montblanc Global Brand Ambassador Jing Boran inhabit this reimagined Montblanc universe in a series of campaign visuals captured by Charlie Gray and in a series of short videos
About the Meisterstück
Regarded as the quintessential writing instrument, the Meisterstück has left an indelible mark since it first appeared in 1924, wielded by many influential individuals who shaped our collective culture and history. Its origins and subsequent success, however, are perhaps more accidental. It is said that some customers began to request writing instruments for “Sunday-use”, finer tools that were not meant for everyday use. Unbeknown to them, the craftsmen in the Montblanc workshops had long been developing such writing instruments as personal projects, one-of-a-kind pieces that exhibited highly advanced craftsmanship and as such, they were known as “Meisterstück” – masterpiece in German.
Montblanc 100 Years of Meisterstück Campaign by Wes Anderson launches worldwide on 1st May 2024.
For more information, visit www.montblanc.com
Explore the Montblanc Meisterstück
100th Anniversary in Vietnam
Montblanc marks a century of its renowned writing instrument, the Meisterstück, with a grand celebration in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, organized in collaboration with DAFC:
– Time: 11 AM to 8 PM, August 16th, 17th, and 18th August
– Location: 159 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Explore the new collection in your nearest Montblanc:
DAFC is the official and exclusive distributor of more than 60 fashion brands in Vietnam.