Bluefly ready to challenge censors with new ad campaign

Last October, claymore posted on Bluefly's Dinner Party ad with mild nudity that got banned by some magazines and networks. And according to a press release, even the sanitized versions of the spot generated considerable controversy when they aired, but sparked a 46% increase in sales from new customers.

Well, the brand is back, and this time they are challenging censors again with a new ad campaign titled "We're Gonna Be Late". Bluefly PR is calling it "a provocative new advertising and social media campaign aimed at women." The commercial shows a couple getting ready for a night out, but a glance leads to a touch and then the clothes come off much faster than they went on. Prior to the TV launch, a longer cut of the spot was pre-released on the 'net to reach Fashion Week attendees.

The 30-second version of "Late" was already rejected this year by CW, the only broadcast television outlet approached.

"We cut most of the provocative scenes for television, even though the content on their programming is just as sexy, if not more so. They seem to apply a very different set of standards when they look at advertising. Our hope is that the campaign circulates virally so that more people can see it as we intended it—in its full, uncut, and most-truthful version," said Bluefly CMO, Bradford Matson.

"The motivation behind both spots was to illustrate how shopping and fashion are tied to emotional cues, more than practical ones," says Melissa Payner, president/CEO of bluefly.com. "Happiness, frustration, boredom—any variety of emotions can trigger the desire to shop, and vice versa. We wanted to depict these emotionally charged moments genuinely and to deliver a message to women: be sexy, be beautiful, be in control."

Beginning September 17 "We're Gonna be Late" will air over six weeks and will appear on syndicated shows such as "Sex in the City" and "Desperate Housewives" as well as outlets such as Bravo, E! and WE. The multi-million dollar campaign was created by MGL in New York City.