I'm not sure I'd swipe my passport through a vending machine, regardless of the reward, but perhaps I would if I were Canadian and needed a beer badly enough. Molson Canadian recently visited several European cities and placed fully stocked beer fridges in public places there. The catch? The fridges could be opened only by scanning a Canadian passport. Footage from the sites was then cut into the 90-second online ad below, from ad agency Rethink and director Jonty Toosey of Partners Film. A :30 broke on TV during the Stanley Cup Finals. The campaign also brings back the classic tagline, "I am Canadian."
It's a fun idea, and continues the trend toward more installation-based public branding and entertainment stunts. Coca-Cola has always done that very well, of course, but these days everyone's trying it—from Hot Wheels to those crazy Fantastic Delites stunts. Beer fridges that won't open are particularly galling, of course, and wondrous when they finally relent—as we learned last year with the JWT office fridge that only opens when everyone has done their time sheets.
Making-of video and credits for the Molson effort below.
CREDITS
Title: "The Beer Fridge"
Client: Molson Canadian
Agency: Rethink
Creative Directors: Aaron Starkman, Chris Staples, Dré Labre, Ian Grais
Associate Creative Director: Mike Dubrick
Art Directors: Joel Holtby, Vince Tassone, Christian Buer
Writers: Mike Dubrick, Aaron Starkman, Matt Antonello, Dave Thornhill
Account Director: Ashley Eaton
Broadcast Producer: Clair Galea
Production Company: Partners Film
Director: Jonty Toosey
Executive Producer: Aerin Barnes
Line Producer: Neil Bartley
Director of Photography: Bruce Jackson
Postproduction: Rooster Post
Executive Producer: Melissa Kahn
Editor: Marc Langley
Assistant Editor: Nick Greaves
Postroduction: Fort York VFX
Music, Sound Design: RMW Music
Producer, Composer: Steven MacKinnon
Colorist: Eric Whipp, Alter Ego
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