Heineken Past Experience

Heineken have launched an effects-laden television commercial featuring a man who finds himself in the 1920s. Despite all the changes around him, the beer’s still the same. The commercial begins with the drinker’s nightmare – an empty six pack in the fridge. He jumps in a taxi to head to the local pub. As he travels through the city he notices a series of retro effects. A man walking past a pole changes from a black suit jacket to a brown leather jacket. The convenience store with outside ATM changes to a general store with no ATM. The digital car radio and clock morphs to analog. A 1960s Cadillac is transformed into a 1920s Nash Roadster. Cobblestones replace tar seal. As he gets out of the cab he notices he’s been in a horse-drawn cab. He walks into the bar and asks for a Heineken. He says, “It’s exactly the same! Can I get a six pack to go?” The voiceover: Heineken unchanged since 1873. The ad finishes with the drinker being handed a box of six Heinekens – in glasses rather than bottles.

Time traveller picks up six pack in Heineken TV Ad

Click on the image below to play the video.

Credits

The commercial was created at advertising agency Leo Burnett Sydney by copywriter Grant McAloon and art director Michael Spirkovski, with agency producer Adrian Shapiro.

The spot was directed by Josh Baker and produced by Nicole Crozier from Sydney Film Company with director of photography Greig Fraser.

Post production was done at Fuel VFX, Sydney, by VFX supervisor Andrew Hellen, CG Supervisor Andreas Wanda, VFX producer Dave Kelly, and 3D artists Mike Bain, Kane Elferink, Lianne Forbes, Joseph Kim, Paul Lada, Michael Orbing and Gary Sullivan, Flame artists Karen Fabling and Howard Hill, and Matte painter Daniel Cox.

Sound was designed and engineered at Nylon Studios, Sydney.

Car metamorphises in Heineken TV Ad

Little Green Bag

Music for the track is “Little Green Bag”, by George Baker Selection, found on Reservoir Dogs Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Lyrics

Yeah! Looking back,
I’m on the track for a little green bag
Got to find just the kind
I’m losing my mind

Outside in the night, outside in the day
Looking back, on the track gonna do it my way
Outside in the night, outside in the day
Looking back, on the track gonna do it my way
Looking back Looking for some happiness,
but there is only loneliness to find

Turn to the left, turn to the right
Looking upstairs, looking behind
Yeah! Looking for some happiness,
but there is only loneliness to find
Turn to the left, turn to the right
Looking upstairs, looking behind

Yeah Looking back,
I’m on the track for a little green bag
Got to find just the kind I’m losing my mind.
Outside in the night, outside in the day.
Looking back, on the track gonna do it my way.
Looking back on the track for a little little green bag
Got to find just the kind I’m losing my mind.
Oh right Looking for some happiness,
but there is only loneliness to find
Turn to the left, turn to the right
Looking upstairs, looking behind
Ba ba ba baba ba ba ba baba…

5 Replies to “Heineken Past Experience”

  1. i will make a presentation about my fav ad. so i have choose this ad s my fav ad,,,can i know where i can find the details about it? like who is the actors, and the cost of this ad.

  2. good music, great special effects, but really stupid advert – what kind of overpaid idiot would catch a cab to buy a six pack – which they don’t sell in pubs anyway – when you have to pass a corner shop (which would sell the six pack) to get there? – a good idea but the director fell asleep at the wheel.

  3. LOVE THE MINI IN THE AD.I DIDN”T THINK THEY WERE THAT OLD (WHEN THE CAR TURNS OLD) THE MINI IS ONLY IN IT”S 50TH YEAR .BUT THE AD IS COOL . MINI FAN .

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