Guinness launches new global advert for the 2012 Arthur's Day celebrations Download file

Diageo, owners of GUINNESS®, today unveil a new global advert to launch the iconic beer brand’s annual Arthur’s Day celebrations. The new creative entitled ‘Paint The Town Black’ will be previewed exclusively on the GUINNESS Facebook page from 16 August and have its global TV premiere in Ireland on the 19 August.

The ad itself is inspired by the spirit of Arthur’s Day, an annual music event since 2009 that celebrates the founder of GUINNESS, Arthur Guinness, a man made of more. In its fourth year, 55 different countries around the world will embrace Arthur’s Day. The events take place on Thursday 27 September and Great Britain will be involved with the celebrations.

Paint The Town Black, provides fans of ‘the black stuff’ with another highly anticipated and cinematic masterpiece. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi and director Daniel Wolfe, GUINNESS’s latest advert sees a sleepy village prepare for an extraordinary celebration, as people come together and begin to paint everything with a black distinctive liquid, before raising a pint to Arthur Guinness.

Through the soundtrack and use of a specially made black liquid, which literally paints the town black, the ad brings to life the atmosphere that is building throughout the day, conveying a strong sense of expectation and excitement and culminating in an evening of fireworks and festivities.
Guinness Senior Brand Manager Chris Wooff said: “We wanted to create an advert that brought to life the remarkable spirit of Arthur’s Day and encouraged people from around the world to be a part of the annual celebrations by raising a toast to the man behind our iconic pint, Arthur Guinness.”

Kate Stanners, Creative Partner, Saatchi & Saatchi said: “To paint the town is all about celebration. Instead of red, we painted it black in celebration of the black stuff and Arthur Guinness, the man behind the pint. We wanted to depict a tradition that has been going on for years, one where the whole town, gets together. We wanted to elicit the response of "I want to be there', and I think we have done that.”
Refusing to settle for the ordinary, Arthur’s Day has seen Guinness fans all over the world enjoy huge international acts in small pubs and intimate venues. In contrast it has also hosted remarkable concerts, which have provided tens of thousands of Guinness fans with the opportunity to see their favourite bands live on stage. This year there will be performances from the likes of Tinie Tempah, Texas, Ellie Goulding, Example, Mika, Professor Green, Fatboy Slim and Amy Macdonald. GUINNESS will be making further exciting announcements in the coming weeks of additional international artists added to the global line-up.

Through the Arthur Guinness Fund, Arthur’s Day also supports social entrepreneurs around the world who are in the business of changing communities for the better.

Arthur’s Day and GUINNESS should always be enjoyed responsibly – for more information visit www.DrinkAware.co.uk  

For more information on Arthur’s Day please visit www.facebook.com/guinness or www.guinness.com