Stella Artois is promoted as reassuringly expensive in the latest television advert, “Ice Skating Priests”, released in the UK back in May this year. The film shows a mass of priests, who, taking time out from the monastery, go ice skating on a nearby lake. Under the watchful eye of the cardinal, they despatch an eager novice to purloin a crate of the reassuringly expensive lager. On returning to the frozen rink, he races proudly towards the thirsty group. As he holds the crate up the thin ice cracks, sending him and the beer bottles into the cold depths. The thirsty crowd run toward the younger man who has been swept by the current to another gap in the ice. Expecting the others to help him out of the water, he eventually understands that the clerics are more concerned for their favourite beer which is sinking before their eyes. Finally out of the water, the novice turns to see the ring leader gesturing him to dive for the reasurringly expensive beer.
Click on the image below to play the video in YouTube (HD)
Credits
The advertisement was written and art directed by Vince Squibb at agency Lowe London with agency producer Sarah Hallett.
Jonathan Glazer, known for his work with Guinness (Surfer, Dreamer and SwimBlack) directed the spot via production company Academy Films with producer Simon Cooper and director of photography was Dan Landin.
The ad was filmed in Poland in black and white. It was ‘graded’ by Moving Picture Company‘s Mark Gethin to give it a 1920s look. Editor was Paul Watts at The Quarry.
The main actor is Polish star Zbigniew Zamachowski, famous for his role in the ‘Of the Three Colours’ Trilogy.
The music for the Stella Artois Ice Skating Priests ad is Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Liszt.
Download the Hungarian State Orchestra version from iTunes
See more of the behind the scenes details at the site of Moving Picture Company and at Boardsmag.
Stella Artois have an English speaking website www.stella-artois.com which provides an entry point to USA, Canada and UK sites. The Continental site is at http://www.stella-artois.be/
Postscript
Stella Artois Ice Skating Priests won a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in June 2006.
Great commercial, i’ve made today a note about it. Great blog!
Spectacularly artful piece. Breugel like scene from a high vantage point at the beginning, then music that imitates the events like only seen in early silent films. Subtly comic facial expressions. Truly wonderful.
A masterpiece, isn’t it? The commercial’s been shot by Poles and it features some of the best Polish actors:-)
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