Pedro Pascal embraces a beachy mindset in his debut for Corona. We think it’s safe to say that summer has officially arrived!

From MullenLowe, this work marks the fourth iteration of “La Vida Más Fina” (“The Fine Life”), which broke during the NBA Conference Finals.

In “One Man’s Journey,” Pascal follows a trail of sand to the seaside. “Even if you leave the beach, it never leaves you,” he says.

A pair of :15s in Spanish find Pascal listening to his heart and inviting a couple to join him for dinner and drinks:

“We believe every Corona symbolizes the optimistic feeling you have when you’re on a beach, no matter where you choose to enjoy one,” says Matt Lindsay, chief marketing officer at Corona parent Constellation Brands. “Partnering with a talent like Pedro has added a new dimension to our ‘La Vida Más Fina’ campaign, marking an evolution in tone and bringing a fresh perspective that we hope will inspire people to let go of the stresses of modern life.”

“The idea came from just being baseball fans ourselves, and the frustration of missing Opening Day, year after year, because we’re busy working,” says Ricky Johanet and Jordan Sparrow, creative directors at MullenLowe Los Angeles. “So we thought it would be fun to have people openly admit they need the day off to watch baseball—which felt very much in line with the ‘fine life’ mentality that Corona wants people to embrace.”

Fans are encouraged to follow Corona and tag their bosses on the brand’s Insta to enter a sweepstakes and possibly win free beer, a one year subscription to MLB.TV or tickets to a game on March 28.

“Opening Day deserves to be enjoyed in the finest way possible: with an ice-cold Corona in hand,” says Saúl Trejo, director of brand marketing at Corona, in press materials. “As the official Cerveza of Major League Baseball, Corona is proud to champion the fans who never lose, and reward those who live in the moment to take the day off.”

Let’s play ball and LFGM!

Patrón Tequila, ‘Our Hands’

In MullenLowe’s gorgeous campaign for Patrón, a group of master artisans come together to celebrate the craft of making tequila by hand.

Museum of Memory and Tolerance, ‘Skills’

This poignant appeal from The Juju Mexico follows the story of an middle-aged man seeking a job. The narrative masterfully sheds light on the unfortunate tendency to undervalue experience and wisdom, favoring youth and tech proficiency in the hiring process.

Ruffles, ‘Bumping Checo’

Slap Global launched this wild ride for Ruffles potato chips, showcasing 10 expert drivers in a chaotic competition against F1 pilot Checo Perez. It became one of the biggest challenges of his life.

Corona, ‘Unfilter Mexico’

GUT Mexico and Corona urge the film industry to abandon the negative portrayal of Mexico through the long-standing use of a yellow filter. By rejecting stereotypes and reserving the color solely for its beer, Corona seeks to dispel misconceptions perpetuated in movies and online media.

OGGI Jeans, ‘México Campeón’

OGGI and agency Ampersand aim to break free from modeling stereotypes. To resonate with Mexican consumers, they introduced #MéxicoCampeón, an inclusive clothing line that celebrates the authentic mindset and behavior of everyday people

Save the Children, ‘Rain’

Here’s a shocking story that shows children literally weathering violence on a daily basis. It strikes like a storm of bullets, from which they must take shelter to protect their lives.

To promote recycling, David’s São Paulo and Bogotá offices have created “Coronaless,” which is running in Europe and Latin America.

The campaign’s billboards and online media reflect pretty standard Corona fare: exotic locales, time with friends or romantic partners. But the Coronas which should be hanging from loose wrists, or firmly embedded in the sand like stalwart pals, are nowhere to be found, leaving indentations and empty lobster-grips where bottles should appear.

The copy reads: “We returned the bottle of this ad. Return yours.”

There’s no small degree of virtue signaling here: Hey, we pulled up our bootstraps. How about you do your part?

Having suffered through hours of excruciating pack-shot conversations in the production phase of advertising, we get that it’s a big deal for a brand to “take the risk” of not showing its product. Marketers are obsessed with themselves, trying to make the most of every moment—no second of eyeball time wasted, as if any lost opp could lead to collective, irreversible consumer amnesia.

When we initially looked at this campaign, we thought Corona was trying to say its bottles could be returned for reuse. That would’ve been admirable. It implies local buy-in, and means a bunch of glass doesn’t have to be broken down to make the same thing it was already. This would save time, energy and money.

Instead, this work is just about “[encouraging] people to dispose of empty Corona packaging correctly, without polluting beaches and oceans,” according to the press release.

This campaign is running in Germany, Uruguay and Brazil. Germany is among the most mindful nations from a recycling perspective, so why they’d need a reminder to recycle we don’t know. Uruguay has an informal recycling sector; Brazil recycles just 1 percent of waste. In the latter two cases, recycling is not an easily available choice. (And even when it is, that doesn’t mean recycling is working as it should.)

People reuse stuff around their houses all the time. But brands have historically made it nigh-on impossible to reuse or refill anything they repeatedly sell us. It’s tolerated, like a charming character quirk. Facilitated reuse is the one place Corona could be helpful if it’s that worried about polluted beaches (never mind that glass is the least of a beach’s pollution problems; it eventually becomes sand again). 

Reuse is something brands can encourage without having to get involved with politicians. Corona could work with existing distributors, maybe get other companies involved to incentivize people to bring stuff back. That’s some sound circular economy stuff. You feel like you’re part of a community that’s doing something, with brands leading the charge. But it’s usually local brands that initiate acts like this, rather than global conglomerates, which makes the missed opportunity for true virtue all the more flagrant.

Recycling, on the other hand, is an infrastructure issue, not something average folks can control most of the time. Passing the buck to them, and so smugly, feels distasteful. What’s more, we’re well past the point when encouraging people to recycle feels like the move. We have entered the midnight of climate change, where no amount of individual recycling will compensate for indifferent government policy and relentless corporate lobbying.

The level, degree and scope of wasteful production we’re dealing with is bigger than a bunch of Brazilians buying six-packs for a Saturday afternoon. This feels like relatively common knowledge now, and one of the unfortunate reasons why the trouble we’re in feels like such a stranglehold.

In case you’re looking for inspiration, Corona, here’s a Toronto-based beer shop that explains its entire bottle-reuse infrastructure. Take notes!

More campaign images below. Click to enlarge:

CREDITS

Agency: DAVID São Paulo, DAVID Bogotá

Campaign: Coronaless

Client: ABI

Product: Corona

Partner and Global CCO: Pancho Cassis

Global COO: Sylvia Panico

ECD: Edgard Gianesi, Renata Leão

Creative Director: Fabrício Pretto, Rogério Chaves

Art Director: Felipe Revite

Copywriter: Filipe Rosado

Account: Juan Pablo Garcia, Catalina Cordoba, Amanda Mezejewski

Production team: Fernanda Peixoto, Ana Marques, Mariana Marinho, Letícia Brito

Global PR Director: Sandra Azedo

Production Company: Sicarios

Photographer: Thierry des Fontaines

Executive Producer: João Luz

Line Producer: Rafa Pinto

Operations: Lindin Lima

Photography assistant: Ícaro Torres Correia, Artur Leite

Account: Babi Kosloff, Ju Bahia, Yuri Fuly

Editor: Sicarios, Juary Leocardio

Brooklyn-based agency We Believers developed the initiative with the Mexican government and NGOs Reinserta and Comunial.

Gustavo Lauria, co-founder of We Believers, spoke with Muse about his desire to give back and future plans for the league.

MUSE: How did you come up with the idea for the Second Chance League?

Gustavo Lauria: At We Believers, we aim to use our creativity to give back to the people and planet whenever it makes sense for our clients and their businesses. AB InBev [which owns Corona] is one of those like-minded partners that truly helps us accomplish this vision. That is why they hired us and gave us the freedom to develop all kinds of initiatives based on three main pillars: inclusion, soccer and sustainability.

Soccer is one of the main outdoor activities in jail. Playing gives inmates a sense of freedom that encourages them to practice every day. That’s why we thought we could find great talents in correctional facilities. And since Corona is the sponsor of nine of the biggest soccer teams in Mexico, we had the chance to partner with them to select the best players and possibly give them a chance to become professionals once they finish their jail sentences.

Can you talk about the importance of Corona being at the heart of this?

Corona is the undisputed leader in the Mexican market. There’s a strong connection and sense of responsibility between Corona and society. The brand not only connects with people but also has a positive impact on their lives. When you realize that Corona is so ingrained in Mexican culture, you truly see the power of the brand, which is why purpose and social responsibility are at the heart of its marketing plans. You can see it in our past campaigns such as “Match of Ages,” “Plastic Fishing Tournament” [which won high honors at last month’s Clios Awards] and “Native Sportscasters.”

How will you seek to promote this effort?

The campaign benefited from a partnership with the most important sports networks in the country: Fox Sports, TV Azteca and TUDN for TV and online broadcast, plus the largest radio networks. They all provided league updates and highlights and covered all aspects of the initiative [with matches played this spring]. As a result, the audience reacted very positively, following the games, which encourages us to keep creating these kinds of efforts.

Tell us about José Santillán.

Santillán is serving a five-year sentence but has been working towards reducing it to three years for good behavior. This is his third year, but his exact release date will be determined by the correctional organizations. This is why the agreement will be able to become part of Club America at some point during the next soccer season. We were able to interview Santillán a couple of times. He is determined to fulfill his dream of being free and playing the sport he loves on a professional level.

What other plans do you have for the Second Chance soccer league?

The achievement of collaborating with the correctional system, NGOs and soccer clubs opens the door for more tournaments and sports in general to become a part of Mexico’s correctional system and the rehabilitation of inmates. In addition, all professional clubs have selected inmates who will have the opportunity to join them after their release day.

What was most challenging and rewarding about this project?

The first day I spent in jail capturing content for this idea, I asked myself: “Is it worth it to take this kind of risk to do the work I believe in?” Imagine yourself talking with people who will stay there for more than 50 years because they committed very serious crimes, with few police around. Imagine their faces, how they look at you, and how you would feel in that situation. But at some point, after spending hours and hours with them, I was able to see the humans behind the roughness. Many of them made me think they truly understood what they did was wrong when they were under bad influences. But more importantly, they let us feel how powerful it is to dream of a second chance.

FCB New York and Michelob Ultra picked up three Grand Clios—in Integrated Campaign, Innovation and Branded Content—for their “McEnroe vs McEnroe” campaign, in which 2022 John McEnroe got to face off against five younger versions of himself, thanks to some remarkable tech.

Every move from the McEnroe avatars was synchronized with an intricate robotic-return system, allowing the tennis star to play his avatar selves for real. The campaign included a CRM callout, a VIP premiere with press and influencers, and calls-to-action across PR, digital trade, social, influencer, broadcast integrations and TVC encouraging consumers to tune into a one-hour special on ESPN linear and streaming (which the network provided for free).

With over 120 media placements, the sentiment was summed up by Sports Illustrated (“This could be the future of sports”) and Yahoo! (“Reinventing sports entertainment”). Since launch, organic searches for “Michelob Ultra” have grown by 95 percent. 

Michelob Ultra, ‘Michelob Guy’

Michelob Ultra picked up one more Grand Clio, in Social Media, for a Wieden+Kennedy campaign that amplified a pop-culture phenomenon—the viral photo of a guy holding a Michelob Ultra as Tiger Woods teed off at the PGA Championship, while everyone around him was capturing the moment with their smartphones. Within 48 hours, “Michelob Guy” appeared in a commercial, had his own merch line, and appeared on Michelob Ultra cans.

Corona, ‘Plastic Fishing Tournament’

Corona created the first-ever Plastic Fishing Tournament, a global initiative where fishermen from all over the world were rewarded to make the biggest catch of plastic waste in order to sell it to recycling companies. The more plastic they caught, the more money they made, and the cleaner the ocean became. The campaign won two Grand Clios—in Experiential and Social Good.

Corona, ‘Jersey Pay’

Fans attending sporting events in Mexico have to be careful with bringing valuables to the game; because of pickpockets, many leave their wallets and phones at home. This was depressing beer sales at stadiums, so Corona and VMLY&R Commerce invented a unique solution—embedding a digital payment system directly into fan jerseys, which could be scanned at the point of purchase.

Atlético de Madrid, ‘Stepfather’s Day’

Father’s Day is an important celebration in Spain—all brands congratulate fathers, but none had done so with stepfathers. Atlético de Madrid, one of the country’s top soccer clubs, did so with a charming tale that captivated the club’s followers and shared its ideals and philosophy.

Buffalo Wild Wings, ‘The Overtime Deal’

Every time a player sends a sports game into overtime, they not only create more time in the game, they create more great times at Buffalo Wild Wings—and more time to sell more wings and beer. During March Madness, BWW introduced “The Overtime Deal,” the first-ever NIL sponsorships exclusively for players who send a game into overtime. 

Adidas Football, ‘No More Red’

In 2021, London saw the highest number of teenage murders on record. To tackle the problem, Iris created No More Red, an initiative that saw Adidas support the long-standing work being done by Arsenal to keep young people safe from knife crime and youth violence.

The campaign kicked off with a bold statement—removing the iconic red from the Arsenal home kit, creating an all-white uniform symbolic of an ambition to eradicate bloodshed among London’s youth. Adidas and Arsenal teamed up with lifelong Arsenal fan Idris Elba and Arsenal legend Ian Wright to launch the kit, which was worn in game by Arsenal live on national TV during the FA Cup.

Decathlon Canada, ‘Ability Signs’

Since its creation in 1968, the International Symbol of Access has served as a single icon to represent all people with disabilities. Decathlon, a sporting goods manufacturer, reimagined this common wheelchair signage in Canada to show that sports are for everyone. Using Decathlon’s existing signage system and iconic blue brand color, agency Rethink developed 25 custom symbols representing a variety of wheelchair and non-wheelchair based para-sports. Adding sport items and accessories to a universally known icon told a completely different story—one that shows what people with disabilities can do, not their limitations. 

You’ve seen trash on the beach before, but never quite like this.

Corona went big this week to tout sustainability and raise awareness of ocean pollution. Working with Wieden+Kennedy Portland, the AB InBev brand launched two markedly different global initiatives that encourage everyone to “Imagine a World Free of Plastic.”

First, on a strip of coastline along Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the team wrote a huge message in the sand, formed from 1,100 pounds of waste:

“These words are written in ocean plastic,” copy begins. “They could go on forever. But words won’t solve anything. We need plastic gone from beached like this one and businesses like ours.” The plea ends with Corona’s logo and the URL protectparadise.com.

To bring the project to life, the beer brand and local partners gathered materials from the shoreline and spent more than a week building the installation ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8.

“The clean-up of the beach took four to five days,” recalls W+K art director Brad Trost. “That included collecting the plastic and doing a bit of sorting by container type and color, and then removing a substantial amount of seaweed.”

Once that was done, “the construction of the actual letter started,” Trost says. “Trenches were dug in typographic formations and filled with the plastic—everything from water bottles and sandals to action hero figures. It took around another three days when you account for sea turtles visiting to make nests—and the occasional typo.”

Ultimately, of course, “every single piece of plastic was hauled away and recycled, leaving a perfect natural paradise better suited for the wildlife that call it home than it had been for a long time,” he says.

The team recreated the “Plastic Letter”—a term associated with outdoor signage—in Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Germany, the Canary Islands, Italy and Puerto Rico. All told, some 300 million tons of plastic collects in the world’s oceans each year, accounting for 80 percent of marine debris overall.

“An open letter to the world made out of plastic seemed to strike the right balance of simplicity and sincerity,” says Trost. (A rival brewer, Coors Light, envisioned a plastic-free world in its own way a few months back with this pop-up “Future Mart” made entirely from sustainable materials.)

Corona and W+K also devised a poetic short film, “77 Earths,” with Stink Film director Douglas Bernhardt. Amid images of everyday folks enjoying Brazil’s natural beauty, the spot employs CGI to show a sky crowded with duplicates of the blue orb we call home:

“If there were 77 Earths,” the narration begins, “nature would be endless. Shorelines and deep blues would go on forever. No shortage of surf breaks or hidden beaches … We could waste an Earth. Or two. Or 10.”

Reality hits at the end: “There aren’t 77. That’s why we have a net-zero plastic footprint. Join us and protect our oceans.”

The premise, well-served by the cosmic sea-sky visuals, feels a bit different in the category, if a tad too brand-boosting for its own good, with Corona bottles invading those spacey frames. (In fairness, the company has long cleaned up beaches and championed the cause, so it’s earned the right to show off some merch.)

“We wanted to remind people about the inherent beauty in the natural world—but with a slight twist, by asking what if nature and its resources were endless,” says Trost. “That’s where the idea of multiple Earths in the sky came from.”

“Even though the film feels like it’s showing another reality, it’s actually showing that even though we all know we only have one Earth, we’re acting like there are 77,” adds agency creative director Dan Viens.

To drive consumer engagement, Corona will recycle the equivalent of one plastic bottle for each purchase made in Brazil, Chile and Guatemala.

The push also includes OOH and social assets.

CREDITS

—PLASTIC LETTER

Client: Corona, AB InBev
Global VP, Corona: Felipe Ambra
Global Marketing Director, Corona: Antonella Babino

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Creative Director: Josh Bogdan 
Creative Director: Dan Viens
Creative – Copy: Marnie Hanel
Creative – Art/Design: Grant Thomas
Art Director: Brad Trost
Executive Producer: Chris Capretto
Producer: Zach Zutler
Producer: Jenny Smith
Design Producer: Samm Oduro
Sr. Design Producer: Amy Streger
Design Director: Patrick Nistler
Designer: Shantanu Sharma
Designer: Morgan Searcy
Group Strategy Director: Scott Woodhouse
Senior Strategist: Rachita Vasan
Group Brand Director: Jesse Johnson
Brand Director: Madeline Parker
Brand Manager: Leila Chee
Brand Manager: Hope Barker
Sr. Business Affairs: Kacey Kelley
Creative Operations Manager: Stacy Grogan

Production Company: Sketch 
Managing Director: Laura Harrison
Production Director: Alice Strutt
Account Director: Emma Clarke

Film Production Company: Barona Productions 
Producer / Owner: Regina Barona
Director / DoP : Agustin Lira
Photographer / Drone: Arturo Martínez Villa

Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Austyn Daines
Assistant Editor: Jack Kanner
Head of Production: Dre Krichevsky
Executive Producer: Shada Shariatzadeh
Post-Producer: Kevin Gottlieb 

Color: Primary 
Colorist: Kya Lou
Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson
Producer: Jenny Bright

VFX Studio: a52
Lead Flame Artist: Adam Flynn
Flame Artists: Richard Hirst, Chris Riley
Online Editor: Corey Martinez
VFX Producer: Everett Wayne Cross
Head of Production: Drew Rissman
Executive Producers: Patrick Nugent & Kim Christiensem
Managing Director: Jennifer Sofio Hall

Mix and Sound Design: Lime 
Audio Engineer: Tom Paolantonio
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan
Producer: Kayla Phugglan
Associate Producer: Cassie Underwood

Music: Human 
Head of Sync and A&R : Kamela Anderson
Executive Producer: Carol Dunn
Composer: Gareth Williams

Beach Cleanup and Recycling Partner: Lamerced
Founder: Mercedes Guzman

Art Installation Partner: Konyo Factory
Director: Jez Turner

VO Talent: Egbekhuwa Okoyomo

—77 EARTHS

Corona, Anheuser-Busch: Client
Felipe Ambra: Global VP, Corona
Antonella Babino: Global Marketing Director, Corona

Wieden+Kennedy: Agency
Josh Bogdan : Creative Director
Pedro Izique : Creative Director
Dan Viens: Creative Director
Gus Solis: Copywriter
Brad Trost: Art Director
Mariah Mercier: Copywriter
Chris Capretto & Jake Grand: Executive Producer
Danielle Magee: Lead Integrated Producer
Thais Bonizzi : Producer
Christina Villaflor & George Qatsha: Print Producer
Sarah Starr: Design Producer
Kelly Cousins: Design Producer
Amy Streger: Sr. Design Producer
Patrick Nistler: Design Director
Greg Radich: Retoucher
Matt Blum: Production Specialist
Shantanu Sharma: Designer
Morgan Searcy: Designer
Scott Woodhouse: Group Strategy Director
Rachita Vasan: Senior Strategist
Jesse Johnson: Group Brand Director
Madeline Parker: Brand Director
Leila Chee: Brand Manager
Lisa Lipman: Business Affairs
Kacey Kelley: Sr. Business Affairs

Stink : Production Company
Douglas Bernardt: Director
Pierre de Kerchove: Cinematographer
Mungo Maclagan: Executive Producer
Daniel Bergmann: President
Ari Schneiderman: Head Of Production
Mark Hall: Producer

Cut + Run: Edit
Aika Miyake: Editor
Chance St George: Assistant Editor
Brian Mulvey: Senior Producer
Michelle Eskin: Managing Director
Amburr Farls: Executive Producer

Joint Editorial : Audio Mix
Louise Woodward : Producer
Natalie Huizenga: Audio Mixer

BLEACH FILMS: Color
Sergio Pasqualino Jr.: Colorist

NASH : VFX
Cirilo Bonazzi: VFX Supervisor
Flavia Gannam: Producer

Human: Music and Sound Design
Carol Dunn: Executive Producer
Kamela Anderson: Head of Sync and A&R 
Gareth Williams: Creative Director and Sound Designer
Matthew O’Malley: Composer

“Corona embraces the outdoors in everything we do, because we believe that outside is where people best disconnect and relax,” says global brand VP Felipe Ambra. “The feeling of the sun is one of the things that people love most about the outdoors, and Corona is always innovating to remind them of that feeling.”

David brought the notion of a zero-alcohol Vitamin D brew to AB InBev nearly three years ago, and assisted in virtually all aspects of development, from taste formulation to product design and marketing strategy. Sunbrew’s introduction this week feels well-timed, as folks seek zero-alcohol alternatives during Dry January.

“The journey was not easy, as Vitamin D is sensitive to oxygen and light, and not easily soluble in water,” notes AB InBev global VP of innovation Brad Weaver. His team persisted through rigorous research and development, “providing a unique opportunity in the market,” Weaver says.

In the spot, Cabral—who helmed iconic ads such as Cadbury’s “Gorilla” and Sony Bravia’s “Balls”—depicts a welcome respite from anxiety. His frames shimmer with suitably sunny, slightly surreal images of turtles, palm fronds and hermit crabs.

“We chose Juan Cabral with the script half baked, so he could come and have the freedom to take it where he wanted and make it better, more beautiful and more memorable,” David CCO Pancho Cassis tells Muse. “At first it was a difficult sell for such an important launch. But it was the right choice.”

It’s a poetic approach that never overpromises, an invitation to unwind, feel the warm breeze on your face and enjoy existence for a while. (You know, there should be a branded island for that.)

As for the music, “‘Here Comes the Sun’ would’ve been a much easier and straight forward choice, but a more obvious one,” says Cassis. “This was special and magical, just what we needed.”

Corona will extend Sunbrew to the U.K., Europe, South America and Asia in coming months. The brand’s other recent initiatives of note include its Clio Sports Award-winning “Match of Ages” and an “all-natural” beach bar for World Oceans Day. Corona has also employed stop-motion techniques before, exploring quality and craft in this impressive 2019 campaign.

CREDITS

Agency: DAVID Miami
Campaign: Corona Presents: Corona Sunbrew
Client: Anheuser-Bush InBev
Brand: Corona
Global CCO & Partner: Pancho Cassis
Global COO: Sylvia Panico
Managing Director: Ricardo Honegger
CCO: Rafael Donato
Executive Creative Director: Fernando Pellizzaro, Jean Zamprogno, Edgard Gianesi
Associate Creative Director: Joana Plautz
Sr. Copywriter: Lucas Silva
Copywriter: Rafael Bornacina, Jared Schermer
Art Director: João Viegas, Sera Takata, Alexandre Smissen
Head of Productiton : Brenda Morrison Fell
Executive Producer: Carlos Torres
Senior producer: Leticia Hernandez
Senior Business Affairs Manager: Barbara Karalis 
Business Affairs Manager: Elizabeth Torriente
Head of Account: Luiza Prata Carvalho
Group Account Director: Gabriella Hellbrugge
Account Supervisor: Alicia Talavera, Carolina Foster
Associate Account Executive: Miguel Barriga
Global Chief Strategy Officer: Paula Vampre
Strategy Director: John Carlaw
Associate Strategy Director: Matias Candido
Strategist: Anastasia Lara

Production Company: MJZ / Labhouse
Director: Juan Cabral
Producer: Nicolas Abelovich
Director of Photography: Leandro Filloy
Production Designer: Carlos Umaña
Lead Stop Motion Animator: Juan Pablo Zaramella
Editors: Emiliano Fardaus & Luciano Sosa
VFX Supervisor: ROJO
Sound Design & Mix: Tres Sonido
Post Production Producer: Julieta Fernández Castagnino
President / Executive Producer (MJZ): David Zander
Managing Director (Labhouse): Flora Fernandez Marengo
Executive Producer (MJZ): Emma Wilcockson

“The reason a brand exists is not only about the sales, the funnel, or some business terms that we all hear every day. People do not care about that,” Alejandro Gershberg, marketing director at Grupo Modelo, which exports AB InBev’s Corona, tells Muse. “Iconic brands can lead, even at times when the government is unable to provide for the people. Brands must provide real value to people.”  

Gershberg put such theories into practice amid much fanfare at the height of Covid-19. With live sports sidelined worldwide, Corona staged an epic showdown between Mexico’s biggest soccer rivals. “The Match of Ages”—”El clásico de la historia”—defied the laws of time and provided a nation with hope and entertainment on a grand scale.

Working with agency We Believers, director Jorge Malpica and dozens of video editors led by Diego Panich, Corona created a 90-minute contest pitting Águilas del América against Chivas Guadalajara via footage culled from the teams’ battles spanning seven decades. The match aired in June 2020 on Televisa, generating massive brand exposure and ranking among Mexico’s most memorable media events in recent memory.

The initiative scored a gold, four silvers and one bronze at last week’s Clio Sports Awards.

Corona’s telecast seamlessly buzzed through space and time. A pass from the 1990s would yield a blocked shot in the ’70s, followed by a scoring drive in the year 2000. Players seen rushing downfield in the Woodstock era showed up as coaches in segments selected from later years. 

Beyond the nostalgia factor, the program held up as a coherent, compelling soccer game, which ended in a draw at 14-14. (There were lots of dramatic scoring plays to relive from the past 70 years, after all.) IRL, América leads the series 88-77, with 76 ties.

See the full match here:

Ratings soared on match day, Corona sales leaped 54 percent that week, and in-game sponsorships raised funds to fight Covid. But the work cut deeper, celebrating soccer—and by extension, all sports—as a beacon of the human spirit, casting rays of national unity and pride.

In our conversation below, edited for clarity, Gershberg explains how the “Match of Ages” came together and why it meant so much to so many.

Muse: What was the genesis of this truly huge idea?

Alejandro Gershberg: We knew how important live soccer was for Mexico, as well as how much we as a beer company depend on consumption moments [like big-event game days]. This one started with a call. Gustavo Lauria from We Believers called and told me about this idea. Without knowing how difficult or impossible it was, we approved it, and started a 24//7 conversation to make this project happen.

Can you describe the creative process?

Using footage from the last 70 years and more than 100 matches … [we edited] day and night, seven days a week, for 45 days. The team made a very thorough job of selecting material, collecting and synchronizing shots. We were also guided by ex-footballers and historians to create the “Match of Ages.”

What was your biggest challenge? The scope, timing—all of it?

The amount of people it took, getting the footage, working with so much footage—putting all that together was very challenging. But the biggest challenge was to react fast because we couldn’t afford to lose any time. At the end of the day, either we’d pull this off, or we risk disappointing people.

As a game, did it work out better than expected?

América vs. Chivas is the most anticipated game in Mexican soccer. But what nobody ever imagined was a game made up of all those classics together—in which the greatest figures of football coexisted … the best goals, iconic plays and the most representative goalkeepers of each era. What fans may have imagined as a perfect match came true.

Can you talk about the telecast?

On match day, June 7, the game was aired in prime time on the most-watched channel of national TV and livestreamed through the brand and TV network’s social feeds. It exploded: The game received 97 percent more mentions than the last match played between both teams. The “Match of Ages” became the most watched “classico” in Mexican soccer history, with more than 109 million earned impressions, more than 180,000 mentions in social media. [On the business side] Corona grew 54 percent in sales, managing to maintain 30,000 employees.

Were you surprised by that performance?

We were surprised and not. We knew we had something good, but we didn’t expect that kind of response. We connected with the people. In times of confinement, we brought entertainment with the most popular teams in the country, and the most emblematic players in history. We brought back a piece of normal life in a moment when Mexico was really missing soccer.

How did the fundraising tie-in work?

Through the donations of brands such as Aeroméxico, Carl’s Jr., Jumex and Nescafé, the “Match of Ages” broke the barriers of confinement and time. We were able to edit the original sideline boards and sell the space to brands. We offered space in the billboards during the game, and in exchange the companies needed to support the Covid fight with the resources they could provide, like meals for doctors or flights for medical-care equipment. During halftime, Televisa sold space, and that was also used to fight Covid. The final tally in donated funds and services exceeded $2 million.

Any advice for C-suiters based on the ‘Match of Ages’ experience?

The essence of a brand should never change, but the way to connect with people across markets depends on the right strategy, the capacity to get closer to people with the right comms and media plan. Stay relevant to the roots of the brand but understand who is on the other side of the screen. It is not only about sales, but also about being empathetic, understanding the consumer’s needs, and doing whatever it takes to prove why you exist.

CREDITS

We Believers:
Chief creative officer: Gustavo Lauria
Creative director: Fernando Serra, Nicolas Centroni
Copywriter: Gustavo Lauria/Nicolas Centroni
Art director: Fernando Serra
Creative coordinator: Rocio Fernandez Sasso
Head of client services: José Quijano
Account director: Nallely Recinas.
Head of production: Marcia Jaes
Head of planning: Marco Vega
Editor: Diego Panich

Corona:
Directora de marca: Clarissa Pantoja
Corona director de comunicación: Alejandro Karlos Gershberg
Corona director de connections: Javier Garcia
Corona gerente de medio sr: Sinuhe Garcia
Corona gerente digital: Cesar Alcantara
Soccer manager draftline: Alfonso Borel

Televisa:
Sports Marketing TUDN: Ernesto Castillo Cruz
Coordinador Cuentas Clave: Jean Vite Prekop
Director Comercial: Manuel del Rio Castellanos
Gerente Comercial: Andrea Ruiz Delgado
Coordinador Deportes: Mario Palomar Arriaga.

Production:
Director: Jorge Malpica
Productora Audiovisual: We Believers/Pro Doers
Postproducción: Bonsai 3
Coordinador Post Producción: Flavio Dumaine
Sonido: Pickle Music
Productor de Casa de Música: Alexis Estiz
Ingeniero de Sonido: Dario Calcequi