Art.Nr. 23909
When you see the 1980 BMW M1 DENIM in its blue-and-white paint scheme, the first thought that comes to mind regarding the sponsor is, of course, that it might be a jeans manufacturer. Sure: After all, DENIM is the trade name for the cotton fabric used to make jeans. Add to that the blue-and-white color: the association is clear.
Only it’s completely wrong. A glance at the windshield and the strip above it reveals the lettering “DENIM After Shave.” And that brings us a good deal closer to identifying the sponsor.
Behind DENIM is the luxury group FABERGE Cosmetics (which has nothing to do with the famous Fabergé eggs). The company was founded in the United States in 1937 by Russian immigrant Samuel Rubin; in 1951, after paying a licensing fee, it reached an agreement with the Fabergé heirs to use the famous name.
The DENIM brand was founded in 1976. In 1978, the UNILEVER Group launched the aftershave in Italy. In 1980, the prestigious Formula 1 sponsorship began. This is also why the product was advertised on the BMW M1; after all, the Procar series served as the support program for Formula 1 races. In 1981, DENIM aired TV commercials, including a legendary video that made TV advertising history in the 1980s—famous for the slogan:
“Per l’uomo che non deve chiedere, mai”:
“For the man who never has to ask, never!”
CoMod Lotus
