Eric Cantona swims the Channel for Kronenbourg in new ad... sort of
Revered Manchester United and France forward Eric Cantona has swam the Channel from the shores of France to Dover – or so he’d like us to believe.
A series of videos created by Ogilvy & Mather London for Kronenbourg showed the Frenchman making the crossing in one hour 25 minutes. Social media executions and a projection onto the Cliffs of Dover were used to extend the creative.
Cantona swims the Channel for a Taste Suprême. Watch now. #LeBigSwim https://t.co/X02Fmd2E0Y
— Kronenbourg 1664 (@Kronenbourg1664) August 6, 2015
Of course, Cantona showed a hint of his rebellious streak, instead taking the easy route with a yacht-aided odyssey across the Channel - all in aid of him having a pint of the beer upon landfall.
A second video showed Cantona applauded upon hitting dry-land in Dover.
Cantona swam the Channel in record time* for a Taste Suprême. #LeBigSwim *For a Frenchman in a super yacht. https://t.co/9z2gtg7Xvv
— Kronenbourg 1664 (@Kronenbourg1664) August 6, 2015
He's done it! Bravo Monsieur Cantona. #LeBigSwim pic.twitter.com/nlTk4GLEsv
— Kronenbourg 1664 (@Kronenbourg1664) August 6, 2015
The campaign ran for over a month, boasting high social media engagement and tricking a number of media outlets into thinking the #LeBigSwim was the real deal.