Montblanc Celebrates 100 Years With Wes Anderson Collab

To celebrate the 100th year of the legendary Meisterstück, Montblanc has enlisted the help of award-winning director Wes Anderson to star in and direct a short film that revisits the iconic pen's colorful history. 

Featuring actors Rupert Friend and Jason Schwartzman, the three-minute spot takes place in a made-up Montblanc HQ located at the peak of the Mont Blanc mountain, where they give little tidbits of the pen's origins.

"Some of them, they called it a 'safety pen,' which I think means it has a cap so you don't get ink in your pockets," Schwartzman insightfully shares. 

"Probably an invention from back before pens had caps on them," Anderson adds.

Friend then reaches the peak and corrects the two, saying that the Meisterstück was actually designed with a retractable nib that sealed the ink in reserve like a cork. 

"Ah, that clarifies it," the two respond.

 

 

 

 

 

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The group then heads inside the HQ to give viewers a tour of the Mont Blanc Observatory, which they also refer to as the "Headquarters of Inspire Writing," which Anderson claims is the company's other slogan. 

Next, they go to a library within the compound that represents the spirit of Montblanc. Here, they showcase the brand's other products, including the "Schreiberling," which translates to "scribbler."

The "Schreiberling" was designed by Anderson and is set to be released next year. 

Now, in the writing room, the three begin to write their respective letters, with Schwartzman writing to his mom, Friend drafting his daily journal entry, and Anderson making a historical novel set during the time of feudalism. 

The film ends with each of them composing their own taglines for Montblanc: "Inspire Writing," "Make Your Mark," and "Leave Your Mark."

The Celebration of a Century

From the snowy mountain setting symbolic of the Mont Blanc emblem and the observatory, down to the new "Library Spirit" campaign, the short film embodies what the heritage brand is truly about.

"For 100 years, the Meisterstück has captured millions of stories, passing through the hands of authors, creatives, and everyday writers," Vincent Montalescot, Montblanc's chief marketing and merchandising officer, said in a statement.

 

 

 

 

 

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To sift through its rich history, Montblanc believed there was no one better to tell its story than the "Moonrise Kingdom" director, who Montalescot believes is one of today's greatest storytellers. 

"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,” he concluded.

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Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang