Another day, another beer ad, although the latest activity from Heineken-owned beer brand Amstel, starring Jeff Bridges as a “bridge” in Amsterdam, appears more of a nod to the marijuana bars of the Dutch capital than the 4.1% ABV lager.
The spot, “Bridges on bridges”, has been created by Adam & Eve/DDB and shows a giant Bridges sitting in an Amsterdam canal, hands crossed, with his arms acting as a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.
He muses: “Amsterdam. The ‘dam. A city where togetherness is king. And why do you think that is? Bridges, man. And I should know because, well, I’m Jeff Bridges.”
The giant Bridges then reaches over to pick up a giant pint of Amstel from the canal side, and adds: “You see, a bridge is not just a physical structure that connects two places – they allow people to come together, find common ground and literally bridge their differences. They’re powerful things, man. So, from the city of bridges, here’s to togetherness.”
The ad will debut on TV during Googlebox on Channel 4 this Friday (May 3) and will also run in cinemas and on video-on-demand and digital platforms, supported by a giant is PR campaign – well, it would have to be a giant one wouldn’t it?- based on the role pubs play in bringing people together in the UK.
Heineken brand director Nic Casby said: “We really wanted a campaign that would get the brand talked about. With Amsterdam, the brand’s home city, having plenty of famous cultural connotations, the initial discussions with the agency were about which of these could work to create something brave and culturally relevant.”
He added: “We’re hoping that it’s memorable for people, first and foremost. We hope the ridiculousness should be quite entertaining, but we also hope that people like the point of view.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office? Inspired or off its tits? Bit of both really. Entertaining? Tick. Memorable? Tick. Will it lead us to drink more Amstel? Well, you never know…
Decision Marketing Adometer: 8 out of 10
