Art.Nr. 23909When
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: It’s no coincidence that “DENIM” is the trade name for the cotton fabric used to make jeans. Add to that the blue-and-white color scheme—the association is clear.
But that’s completely wrong. A glance at the windshield and the strip at the top reveals the words “DENIM After Shave.” And that brings us a good deal closer to identifying the sponsor.
Behind “DENIM” is the luxury cosmetics 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 company began its prestigious sponsorship of Formula 1. This is also why the brand appeared on the BMW M1; after all, the Procar series served as the support series for Formula 1 races. In 1981, DENIM aired TV commercials, including a legendary video that made TV advertising history in the 1980s—made famous by the slogan:
“Per l’uomo che non deve chiedere, mai”:
“For the man who never has to ask, never!”
CoMod Lotus
