The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

June 15, 2011 | 4 min read

Hugh Tennent returns to TV screens tomorrow night in the eponymous lager brand's latest campaign by Newhaven.

The campaign is set to showcase the lager's role as a founding partner of T in the Park, Scotland’s largest music festival, in a new 2011 advertising campaign which will hit screens across the country on Thursday night (16 June).

As T in the Park looks forward to celebrating its 18th year this July, the Tennent’s campaign sees the return of Hugh Tennent, the "pioneering" founder of Scotland’s favourite pint, and his butler Barnes. Hugh concocts the "genius" idea of staging a party with ‘music for the people, lager and a state-of-the-art sound system’...

Tennent’s Marketing Manager Jane Cannon commented on the new campaign: "Last year we introduced Hugh Tennent to the nation in what was the 125th anniversary year of Tennent’s Lager. The real Hugh Tennent was an entrepreneur, innovator and true visionary and our humorous take on the birth of the brand really struck a chord with audiences. Now in 2011 we again put the spotlight on his creative vision, imagining how Hugh would have conceived a festival like T in the Park in his day. Given his pioneering spirit and bold outlook on life, we are sure that he would have been very proud of the festival as it is now. ”

The new advert comes as DF Concerts and founding partner Tennent’s Lager celebrate the 18th year of T in the Park. This year, the sell-out event will see 85,000 music fans per day flock to Balado over the festival weekend to see hundreds of acts including Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, The Strokes, Beyonce, Pulp, The Script, Plan B, Slash, Jessie J and Tinie Tempah.

Leaning on Tennent’s trademark humour and again staged within the 1880s setting, the 30 second advert – entitled ‘Too Loud’ – shows how Hugh’s festival plans begin to take shape as a four-piece band take to a makeshift stage in Hugh's drawing room for their warm up. As the enormous gramophone speakers of his stage are cranked up, Hugh, with a pint of his fabulous brew in hand, gets ready to watch alongside Barnes as the band tune up for what could be the birth of Scotland’s biggest ever music event.

"Welcome to my T in the Drawing Room Festival Barnes," he broadcasts before shouting: "Start the sound check boys!"

As the Victorian headliners blast out their first few chords, it becomes clear that Hugh’s drawing room is not the ideal location to accommodate the volume of a music festival, and the advert closes with a perceptive suggestion from Barnes: ‘"Maybe we should try this outside next time Sir. In a park perhaps?"

Watch the previous 'Lager Lovelies' and 'New Firm' adverts.

George Kyle, head of sponsorship at Tennent’s Lager, added: "T in the Park’s development and success since it was founded in 1994 is incredible. From 18,000 people at Strathclyde Country Park to 85,000 of the world’s most passionate music fans in 2011 at Balado, the festival has grown to become not only one of the best in the UK but also a leading music event worldwide.

"We’re sure Hugh Tennent would have fully approved, and would certainly have enjoyed a pint of his fabulous brew whilst watching the main stage action."

The advert was created by Edinburgh-based agency Newhaven and was brought to life by cinematographer Ivan Bird.

Actor Sam Heughan returns to play Hugh Tennent and fellow Scot Tim Downie returns to the role of Barnes, Hugh’s trusted sidekick. The campaign will be supported by digital, outdoor and PR activity.

Tennent’s will also be running a special ‘Crank It Up’ competition to win T in the Park tickets on its Facebook page for music fans to tell Tennent’s about their favourite tunes that make them want to Crank It Up Loud! Edinburgh-based Whitespace is responsible for the digital activity.

The new competition will launch on the Tennent’s Facebook site this evening at 5pm.

Newhaven T in the Park Twitter

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