Canadian photographer Kourtney Roy has been selected for the prestigious Carte Blanche commission by Pernod Ricard, transforming 18 company employees into cinematic characters for the theme "Go the Extra Mile." The annual Carte Blanche program, which entrusts a renowned photographer with complete creative freedom, goes far beyond a mere cosmetic exercise and aims to portray the characteristic features of Pernod Ricard's culture and mindset.
For the ninth consecutive year, Pernod Ricard employees served as the faces of this ambitious campaign. The 18 participants, ranging from city brand managers and security managers to business analysts, stepped out of their comfort zones to embody characters from the world of cinema. Roy's creative vision resulted in a movie-like campaign that showcases how the company's 18,400 employees worldwide can surpass themselves and go the extra mile.
Roy's distinctive approach combines staged photography with spontaneous elements, developed through her extensive travels across the United States and Canada. She carries all her accessories in her car trunk, including wigs, makeup, clothing, and technical equipment, allowing her to create transformative portraits wherever inspiration strikes. "I would say that it is a kind of mixture between staging, photography but also spontaneous photography," Roy explained in an interview about her artistic process.
The photographer expressed her delight at receiving the Carte Blanche commission, which provided her with unprecedented creative control. "I was delighted to get this Carte Blanche, which allows me to do my photos in my own way. I could do the casting, choose the styles, everything," Roy said. Despite the extensive preparation time required, the actual shooting process moved quickly, with the employee models exceeding all expectations.
Roy was particularly impressed by how the participants embraced their transformations. "The models were incredible, I was afraid they would be shy, uncomfortable, but everyone really played the game," she noted. The process of disguising the employees with styling and makeup helped them adopt new personalities, allowing their transformed appearances to speak for them rather than relying on their natural comfort levels.
The transformation of everyday employees into movie stars proved to be an exciting experience for all involved. "It was not a problem to turn them into a mini star for a day. They applied because they clearly wanted to give themselves completely," Roy observed. The participants genuinely enjoyed changing their hairstyles, makeup, and costumes, discovering that anyone can become a movie hero once in costume on a professional set.
Roy emphasized the rarity and significance of such creative opportunities in an artist's career. "There are not many projects like this, where as an artist you can go to work where you want and do what goes through your head without your client telling you more of this or more of that. It happens once in the life of an artist," she reflected. The photographer expressed tremendous excitement and satisfaction with the final results of this unique collaboration.
The resulting 18 snapshots will serve multiple purposes for Pernod Ricard, illustrating the company's annual report while also being presented to the general public during Paris Photo 2018. This campaign follows previous themes of "Vision" and "Inspiring Action," continuing the tradition of showcasing the company's values through innovative visual storytelling that celebrates both artistic excellence and corporate culture.
