Watch the Youtube video HERE
Forged Irish Stout, the Irish stout brand owned by MMA star Conor McGregor is rolling out its inaugural St Patrick’s campaign this weekend.
The animated campaign was created by the Dublin agency Third Mind and will roll out across digital platforms including YouTube and X and will be supported by the brand’s social channels.
The ad transports viewers to a cosy tavern where a barman and his patrons become drawn to what sounds like a bell. As they march in unison towards the clanging it becomes clear that the sound is in fact that of a blacksmith shaping steel on his anvil. As the barman tosses the blacksmith a threepence coin we see it transform into molten metal before being forged into a claymore sword etched with Ogham writing. We then see a hand grab what we believe to be the handle of the sword only for it to be revealed to be a bar-tap, symbolising the craftsmanship that exists in both blacksmithing and the brewing process.
The unique and labour-intensive production process took place over the course of ten months and required Third Mind to build a bespoke camera-rig to shoot over 25kg of drawings which took over 1,000 hours to create, partnering with South Africa-based animators, Pocket Animation across the globe.
According to Doug Leddin, CMO of Forged Irish Stout: “The craft involved In creating the world’s creamiest Irish stout is unlike any other beer process. It’s incredibly labour-intensive and we wanted to pay respect to that by creating a very unique ad campaign by hand. This was an incredibly difficult task, but just like the owner of Forged Irish Stout, Conor McGregor, we weren’t phased by the challenge. We teamed up with some of the world’s most talented and creative individuals to create a very bespoke ad, one that we are all very proud of.”
According to Max Fedorov of Third Mind: “With its rich narrative, captivating visuals, and unmistakable Irishness, we shot this advert to captivate audiences and entice them into the world of Forged Irish Stout. We decided against using the traditional white or paper background for animation, choosing instead to nod to the Forged brand colours of cream and yellow on a black background, which meant an incredibly long production timeline.”
The ad makes its debut online and will be supported by a significant media spend across the UK and Ireland. It’ll also be featured across digital platforms including YouTube and X and supported through the brand’s social channels.
First launched in July 2023, the stout brand is already available in over 1,000 pubs and bars across the UK, with off-trade distribution in over 400 stores including ASDA. In Ireland, Forged Irish Stout is available in SuperValu, Carry-Out and Circle K stores nationwide as well as across Molloys, O’Brien’s, Spar, Londis and all major off-licences.
Credits:
Client: Forged Irish Stout
CMO: Doug Leddin
Global Brand Manager: Eoin Kearney
Agency: Third Mind
Creative Directors: Max Fedorov & Emily Fedorov
Visual and Concept Design: Patrick Kelleher
Ivette Matavacas Alibes
Animation Rig Design and Build: Max Fedorov
Story Development and Script: Sam Kirwan
Storyboard Artist: Ian McCafferty
Animation Company: Pocket Animation
Head Animator: Stuart Cloete
Animators: Cara Bush & Ric Capecchi
Illustrators: Cam Lofstrand & Yashira Singh
Soundtrack Production: Windmill Lane
Sound Design: Tom Morris
PR: Splanc PR
