Edinburgh-based craft beer club, Beer52.com, which delivers a different selection of beers to its members’ doors each month, is celebrating its February collaboration with the Stone brewery (voted the world’s best brewery on RateBeer) by releasing its first ever commercial. It's not just any old spot either. The campaign takes the form of an ‘interactive’ Beer Buddy who will chit chat, play games and even share a beer with you. So you'll never need to drink alone again. Kind of.
Played by comedian and actor Lee McQueen, Beer Buddy was the brainchild of Henrik Ridderheim and director J Marlow from creative agency, Grey London. Marlow said of his creation: “He’s knowledgeable, he’s funny, but he’s also a bit weird and lonely and he’s desperate to get to know you. Really desperate.” Fraser Doherty, the Co-founder of Beer52, adds: “We read that ad agencies are making commercials that are maybe five seconds long, on account of how short people’s attention spans have become. That told us everything we needed to know – we were going to go the other way and shoot what is probably the world’s longest beer ad ever!”
Members of Beer52 this month will receive the same set of beers that Beer Buddy tastes in the ad, along with an invitation to join him. Beer Buddy offers questions to his viewers and pauses to give them the chance to comment on the beers, in the vain hope of getting to know one another. Interspersed with surreal appearances from his housemate, the old lady next door and a takeaway delivery guy, the video shows this hapless presenter as he shares his unique tasting notes. Viewers also get the chance to learn a little about the man himself and the possibility of future episodes is left open, with the Beer Buddy promising; “If people keep watching, I’ll keep drinking.” We'll drink to that!
