SA TV ad to storm across the globe

22 Jan 2009

Following completion of a recent Saatchi & Saatchi South Africa commercial originally destined for Guinness' African markets only, client Diageo soon recognised that the commercial had international merit and appeal, and decided to run it in other markets internationally. [video]

The TV ad for Guinness beer began rotation on European TV networks in Q4 2008 and will soon screened on other continents.

"This is the first time an African commercial has been picked up in other parts of the world for Guinness. The world is changing fast; as we continue to grow there will be more work shared between global markets," says Matthew Barwell, marketing and innovation director for Africa for Diageo's, which owns brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Captain Morgan and J&B.

Shot on locations in Spain, Los Angeles and the UK, “Tornado” tells the tale of how Guinness is produced. The commercial opens with a group of tornado hunters chasing a tornado across wheat fields.

The tornado is struck by lightning, setting it alight before it sweeps across a lake, sucking up water. The dark swirling liquid is then funneled towards a giant contraption, which eventually bottles the would-be Guinness. The sequence mimics the roasted barley and water used as part of the brewing process.

The final scene is a group of friends in a bar, where the telling of the ‘tornado story' ends with the catchphrase, "Well, that's what I heard anyway."

Comments Ian Young, Saatchi Cape Town's MD, "The commercial is about the elemental nature of Guinness. It is about the mystery and magic of the product. The ad plays on the real African tradition of storytelling in a fun way. It is an expression of the brewing process which combines roasted barley and fresh water to give Guinness its distinct taste and colour.”

The commercial is intended to continue to drive growth for the Guinness business in Africa, especially Nigeria, which has reportedly passed Ireland to become the second-largest market for Guinness after the UK. Africa now accounts for a third of the volume of the stout sold each year, and 55% of the growth in financial terms.

Guinness Tornado was jointly developed by Saatchi & Saatchi's offices in Cape Town, which championed the creative (Larissa Elliot - art director, Alice Gnoddle - writer, and Anton Crone - creative director), and London, which lead the production.