Guinness brand| repositioning “Bring it to life”

Diageo is to reposition its Guinness brand as a drink to be enjoyed in group situations at the pub or at home.

Guinness introduces a new strapline “Bring it to life” to its brand advertising in its latest television campaign. Epic ad telling public to 'Bring it to life' moves away from drinks firm's famous 'Good things come to those who wait' line


A new strap line “Bring it to Life” has been introduced in a new brand advertising campaign breaking today (4 November) with the aim of bringing “more life, vibrancy and communality” to the brand’s positioning.

Paul Cornell, marketing manager for Guinness, says he wants to reposition the brand from one to be enjoyed on a “low tempo” occasion – people drinking on their own or with a handful of people – to a drink to enjoyed on “mid tempo” occasions, for example weekend get-togethers with four or five friends.

He adds the campaign aims to drive those who love the brand to drink it more on relevant communal occasions such as while watching sporting events.

Cornell adds that the changing nature of alcohol consumption, the declining on-trade and rise of at-home drinking, has also influenced the shift, adding that the “Good things come to those wait” strapline, which emphasised the two-part pour,lent to the on-trade and could suggest cans or bottles bought off-trade “were inferior”.

Diageo is looking to grow its 2% share of the off-trade beer category and is targeting 10% annual growth for the brand.

The TV ad, called "World", focuses on how the famous stout looks like it comes alive when a pint is poured.

Guinness's epic ad was shot in locations including New Zealand, Canada, Fiji and the UK.

It features a group of men who bring life to a barren landscape by populating the ocean with fish, dragging fields of grass into place and supplying fresh water.

As the 90-second commercial unfolds Guinness aims to draw a parallel with the famous "surge and settle" motion that typifies the pouring of a pint and introduce the new strapline "Bring it to life".

Created by the Diageo brand’s long-standing agency Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, the commercial will first air in high definition on ITV1 during the Champions League clash between Liverpool and Lyon tonight from 7.45pm.

Guinness has linked up with Google Earth to allow web users to "bring an imaginary planet to life" in a simplified version of games such as Civilization or Sim City called "Guinness World".

The drinks brand has not said how much the commercial cost, but the project required three months of preparation and more than 8,000km of scouting before filming began in Canada.

The production crew included the set designer from the third Lord of the Rings film. The set for the underwater scene took three months to build and the shot where grass is dragged into place, filmed in New Zealand on a disused bombing range, required army assistance.

Johnny Green, the director of the TV ad, described it as "one of the toughest" jobs he has ever worked on.

"We wanted to create a truly amazing campaign which will graphically illustrate the life, energy and passion of the brand," said Paul Cornell, marketing manager for Guinness.
The initial November and December push will be followed in the new year with Six Nations themed activity that will also emphasise the new positioning by focusing on the celebration around the sport.    





Guinness celebrated its 250th anniversary this year with a global campaign devised by Saatchi & Saatchi with the theme “Arthur’s Day” commemorating the founder of the brewery.

Credits

The World campaign was developed at AMV BBDO, London, by creative Paul Brazier, and agency producer Yvonne Chalkley.
Filming was shot by director Johnny Green via Knucklehead, London, with directors of photography Joost Van Gelder and Wally Pfister, producers Tim Katz and Fergus Brown, and set designer Grant Major.
Editor was Ted Guard at The Quarry.
Post production was done at The Mill, London, by producers Lucy Reid and Ben Stallard, colourists Aubrey Woodiwiss and Adam Scott, shoot supervisors Russell Tickner and Michael Gibson, lead 2D artist/Flame artist Rich Roberts, lead Flame artists Barnsley and Pete Rypstra, Flame assist Gareth Brannan, lead 3D artists Russell Tickner and Jordi Bares, 3D artists Teemu Eramaa, James Spillman, Andy Nicholas, Rick Thiele, Adrien St. Girons, Laurent Makowski, Ed Shires, Tom Blake, Andy Guest, Aidan Gibbons, Sergio Xisto, Suraj Odedra, Jules Janaud, Francois Roisin, matte painters Dave Gibbons and Lee Matthews.