TROUBLY BUBBLY

Did you happen to catch the commercial for Fromage Frais (“fresh cheese”), that new “culture-based” dairy product made with fruit? Wasn’t it just a touch macabre?

Some background: The spot takes off on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” with Robin Leach doing a voiceover for “Refrigerators of the Rich and Famous.” The camera zooms into the supermodel Christie Brinkley’s fridge. Leach gushes over the inventory of food and drink--which includes a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne from the company of Moet et Chandon.

It’s unusual enough for a commercial to plug another name brand. But consider the brand: Before Brinkley became Mrs. Billy Joel, she was the girlfriend of race-car driver Olivier Chandon, heir to the Champagne fortune before he died tragically in a 1983 race.

The ad agency responsible tells us Brinkley had final script approval and asked that the items in the refrigerator be upscale--but did not request specific brand names. “It was our decision to have the Dom Perignon in there,” said Jordin Mendelsohn, creative director and owner of Mendelsohn Zien Advertising, “but she approved it. She saw the script. It’s not referred to as Moet et Chandon, and as many people as we had working on the account, no one ever (made the connection).”

Brinkley’s commercial agent at William Morris, Richard Hersh, also failed to notice the label, but said his client is apparently happy with the spot (we couldn’t reach her for comment).