Chanel relies on Jacob Elordi and Alfonso Cuarón to reveal a new face of Bleu

Chanel strikes hard at the start of 2026. The Parisian house has just unveiled the advertising film for its perfume Bleu L’Exclusif, directed by Alfonso Cuarón and featuring an eagerly-awaited new face. Behind this campaign lies a creative and generational strategy that deserves a closer look.

A cinematic lineage true to its DNA

Since its launch in 2010, Bleu de Chanel has always cultivated a strong link with cinema. The men’s fragrance has successively featured Gaspard Ulliel, then Timothée Chalamet, two actors with strong artistic profiles.

From now on, Jacob Elordi takes over. The 28-year-old Australian actor, revealed by the series Euphoria and seen in Priscilla, Frankenstein and Hurlevent, embodies the third era of this iconic fragrance.

This choice also reinforces a bias behind the camera. Following in the footsteps of Martin Scorsese and James Gray, Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón – Oscar winner for Gravity and Roma – has signed the film. The soundtrack is by Thomas Bangalter, co-founder of Daft Punk.

Jacob Elordi, one year after his appointment

Elordi’s appointment as ambassador for Bleu fragrance came a month before the film’s release. However, his link with the house goes back even further: at the end of 2024, he already appeared in the Chanel N°5 campaign alongside Margot Robbie.

His integration into the brand’s portfolio of muses has been a gradual process. This generation Z profile is part of a clear strategy to rejuvenate the brand’s masculine image.

“A month after the Australian actor was named ambassador of the Bleu fragrance, Chanel is showcasing its newest recruit in a commercial signed by Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón and set to a soundtrack by Thomas Bangalter.”

The Chase: an action film with a touch of luxury

Named The Chase – the film lasts just over two minutes. It features Bleu L’Exclusif, a woodier version of the original fragrance, unveiled last year as part of a “flanker” strategy.

The sequence takes up the codes of the action film in a choreographed staging. Elordi co-stars with actress Libby Taverner.

What’s more, the film concludes with a striking backdrop: the Hong Kong skyline, with the geometric architecture of the Bank of China Tower as a backdrop. This choice is not insignificant, as we shall see.

• Film title: The Chase
• Duration: just over two minutes
• Featured fragrance: Bleu L’Exclusif, woody version
• Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Oscar winner, Gravity, Roma)
• Soundtrack: Thomas Bangalter, co-founder of Daft Punk

Hong Kong as a strategic signal

The choice of Hong Kong as a backdrop is not just aesthetic. Asia-Pacific remains the company’s leading market, with sales of $9.2 billion by 2025. However, performance is down slightly, at -0.6%, against the backdrop of a slowdown in the Chinese luxury goods market.

As a result, the setting sounds like a message to local consumers. The company is visually anchoring its new film in a geography with strong commercial stakes.

A long-term generational strategy

Elordi’s arrival is part of a wider movement. The house recently announced the appointment of rapper A$AP Rocky and actor Pedro Pascal among its male ambassadors. Chanel’s masculine positioning is thus becoming more structured, with a variety of complementary profiles.

On the women’s side, the company is counting on personalities from Generation Z: Gracie Abrams, Lily-Rose Depp, Margaret Qualley, Jennie and Angèle are all part of this network of muses. However, these choices are no accident: they reflect a clear desire to appeal to new audiences while preserving the brand’s image.

What’s more, this generational strategy extends the cinematic positioning that has set Bleu apart for over fifteen years. Each film, each actor, each director reinforces the identity of this fragrance over the years.

The Bleu L’Exclusif 2026 campaign film by Alfonso Cuarón, starring Jacob Elordi and Libby Taverner, confirms that the company intends to make each new chapter an event in its own right.

• Chanel