“Tomorrow I’ll take off the top”: anatomy of France’s greatest advertising teaser

In short: in 1981, the outdoor-advertising company Avenir commissioned the agency CLM/BBDO to run a three-part billboard campaign featuring model Myriam Szabo, in order to demonstrate the power of the outdoor medium itself. It is the textbook case of advertising teasing — a mechanic that still works in 2026.

Context: when outdoor advertising had to prove its power

In the early 1980s, outdoor advertising was fighting for its place against television and print in media plans. The challenge: prove that a street billboard could create a national event. The answer would not be about a consumer product, but about the medium itself. The advertiser was the billboard company Avenir; the product being sold was the power of outdoor advertising. The campaign was created by CLM/BBDO — written by copywriter Pierre Berville and art-directed by Joël Le Berre.

The three-act teasing mechanic

1. The promise. A first poster shows Myriam in a swimsuit: “On September 2nd, I’ll take off the top.” No explanation — curiosity does the rest.
2. Raising the stakes. On September 2nd, the promise is kept and immediately renewed: “On September 4th, I’ll take off the bottom.”
3. The payoff. On September 4th, the final poster reveals Myriam nude, seen from behind, facing the sea, with the signature: “Avenir, the billboard company that keeps its promises.”

Three posters, one idea: create an appointment. Passersby no longer endure advertising — they wait for it.

Why it worked (and stirred debate)

• The serial format. Splitting the message over time turns a passive audience into a public that comes back on its own (the cliffhanger principle applied to the street).
• The conversation. Before social media, the campaign generated massive word of mouth and press coverage: earned media multiplied paid media.
• Controlled transgression. The boldness sparked debate — including criticism, notably about the representation of the female body. An honest 2026 read must acknowledge it: what counted as “boldness” then would be read very differently today.

Before / After: same lever, different screens

A brand launching a product with an Instagram countdown, or a DOOH screen revealing its message at a set time: these are Myriam’s grandchildren. The intent — build anticipation, then reward curiosity — is identical; only speed, measurement and interactivity have changed.

What it teaches advertisers in 2026

• A dated promise beats a permanent slogan: the appointment creates a spike of attention.
• Keep the promise: a teaser with no payoff disappoints and damages the brand.
• Think earned, not just paid: design the campaign to be retold for free.
• Boldness must fit its era: today, transgression plays out through the idea, humour or format — not the body.

FAQ

What was the “Tomorrow I’ll take off the top” campaign? A 1981 French billboard campaign by CLM/BBDO for the outdoor company Avenir, featuring model Myriam Szabo. Built as a three-poster teaser, it aimed to demonstrate the power of outdoor advertising. It remains a textbook teasing case.

What is teasing in advertising? A technique that first releases an intriguing, incomplete message to build anticipation, before revealing the advertiser or product. It turns a passive audience into one that returns willingly.

Does teasing still work today? Yes — notably through social-media countdowns, vertical-video “reveals” and scheduled DOOH. The formats have changed, not the underlying psychology.

Sources

• Wikipedia (FR) — Affiches Myriam: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affiches_Myriam
• ARPP blog — “Demain, on garde le haut (et le bas)”: https://blog.arpp.org/2018/12/07/demain-on-garde-le-haut-et-le-bas/

PubliCité France — Before/After section. Cited campaigns belong to their rights holders. French version: /avant-apres/campagne-myriam-demain-jenleve-le-haut/