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Stella Artois: The Black Diamond

William Hodgess

29th July 2011

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Personal reaction

Mr Artois, take a bow. I think the standard for total sensorial brand activation campaigns has been set!

I came away from the first of the two evenings (back in early July) impressed. The second, however, has left me truly gob-smacked! Not just at the overall experience, but the vision of the brand, and the unimaginable amount of planning needed.

The events take a far more personal twist during the latter stages, and taking this decision meant timing was crucial to ensure you still make the experience accessible to large numbers of people.

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The brand’s connection with cinema

Stella Artois have long used film and cinema as a communication platform for their core brand and more recently with their growing range of sub brands: Stella Artois Four and Stella Artois Black.

This particular campaign was focused on building upon Stella Artois Black’s connection with film noir and its gritty, dark, wonderfully stylised characteristics. The relationship between film noir and the product summarised nicely by the brand’s stap line:

Matured for Longer for a Richer Experience

An interesting example of a brand building their entire personality around film, rather than more conventional film sponsorship / partnership activities.

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Campaign format

Consumers, film-enthusiasts and basically anyone who wanted to could sign up for the campaign which was publicised by traditional above the line communications, but predominantly online through social networking sites. The story is fully explained and supported by the fantastic dedicated website that uses film, music and a wonderfully dramatic mood to draw you into the events.

http://www.stellaartois.com/black

The invite was all kept very secretive and mysterious, and simply gave you instructions to be at a certain - quite bizarre - location at a certain time for scene 1, and the same for the follow up event a couple of weeks later for scenes 2-7. Let the tweeting and social media hype commence!

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The story

Pioneering theatre company Punchdrunk teamed up with Stella Artois Black for another commercial partnership to bring its unique style of magical immersive performance to the masses. Following on from last year’s ‘The Night Chauffeur’, this latest interactive theatrical focuses on ‘The Black Diamond’, a classic film noir plot full of love, deception and desire putting the spectator at its heart.

Jacque, the hero, wants to propose to long term sweetheart Cecile, the love, and as a symbol of his commitment he plans to give her an expensive and rare diamond. However, there are dark forces at work and a thief has other plans for the diamond. The story puts you at the heart of the diamond’s meandering journey through the dark underworld of 1960’s Paris.

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Scene 1 – At the house

The secretive location for scene one, “At the house”, was in a back ally in Shoreditch, East London. Based in a warehouse that had been converted especially for the event into a 60’s French family home, every detail had been painstakingly considered. From the scores of handwritten post cards that adorned the walls, to the candles and ornate lamps that felt every bit mid 20th century Parisian.

The house was full of people (around 150), made up of, as we later realised, about 80% public and 20% actors and actresses in costume but still managing to blend in well. This created the wonderful sensation of not knowing who was acting and who wasn’t, making the experience all the more real.

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Scene 1 – At the house continued

After 15 minutes of exploring and wandering around the house with our perfectly chilled pint of Stella Artois Black, word quickly spread that “she was on her way” and that we were to be quite. Soon after, a beautiful, glamorous young lady walked blindfolded up the main staircase and into the crowded but silent front room.

After a mimed count of three, the crowd - coordinated by the planted actors - screamed “Surprise!!”. The French music came bellowing out of the radio, party streamers were let off, wild dancing commenced and generally the party kicked off! Over the next 30 minutes we danced, wandered around, and were approached by three of the main characters. Each of whom whole-heartedly engaged with us to tell their different accounts of the night.

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Scene 1 – At the house continued

What struck me was the incredible talent of the actors, not just in playing their roles, but in being able to adapt their approach and ad-lib depending on the individual’s response. Some members of the audience looked petrified when approached, others laughed and played along. Reading the mood of the situation and acting accordingly makes the execution of this experience a true art form.

With the party in full swing, a desperate looking man sprints through the crowd and out of the door, knocking revellers from his path. Seconds later he is chased by Jacque, who then returns back to the party, shouting with great anger, “you must have seen something!” “who was he?”, “where has he gone?”. The party is then called to an abrupt end by the official security guards. The crowd was left confused as to how real this all was. The perfect cliff hanger leading into part two.

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets

Three weeks had passed but the memory of the first scene was still fresh. Again, we’re simply given a location and a time: Old Street underground, public telephones, 19.10. A group of four of us wait eagerly, gripped with anticipation of what could be about to happen, although now with a greater sense of what it’s all about – we’re ready for an immersive experience. We couldn’t quite believe that there were just four people involved in this second stage, it felt very intimate and far more real.

A woman instructs us to read a planted French paper (in English) which gives detail of the robbery along with other brilliantly subtle cues. Just then one of the phone rings, a voice tells us to leave via exit 3 and keep walking (a note left in the phone’ coin slot reiterates the instructions). We do as we’re told and walk along a busy pavement.

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets continued

Before you know it a hand grabs your arm with force and firmly says “don’t look at me, don’t speak, look at the ground and keep walking”. Two of us are lead down a back street (whilst the other two are taken in a different direction), we’re instructed to stand with our face against some red shutters. These are lifted to reveal a warehouse containing the same car from scene one with a sheet over the windscreen.

The menacing actor then sets about demanding that we give him “the money”, the money we later found out was for his brother in exchange for the diamond. Just as the interrogation was getting heated the man’s brother arrives with our two fairly startled looking friends. He’s clearly the muscle and spends the next 5 minutes eyeballing and generally intimidating us to try and get this money we’re supposed to have – intense!

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets continued

It’s pretty full-on and you had to frequently remind yourself it wasn’t real life, again incredible acting skills make it a heart-pounding experience. The brothers argue and go their separate ways. The covered car then starts its engine and a voice instructs us to get in the back and keep our heads down.

As we’re driven across East London (see route on right) we’re briefed by the driver that we will be attending a cabaret show and that we need to keep our eye on a certain small black box that contains the elusive diamond. As we arrive we’re greeted by a quirky, eccentric man who says “so you will be dressing Miss Lola tonight?” we nod and are led through a cabaret bar and into a dressing room where the sultry Lola awaits us. As she gets ready for her final performance she clasps the diamond and tells us a story of her unrequited love for a man, before kissing us both on the cheek.

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets continued

She takes to the stage and sings her heart out to an audience of around five people, again an incredibly intimate experience. Once finished she wanders over to her love interest and kisses him whilst subtly also passing him the diamond. The same diamond we have been instructed by the menacing driver to not let out of our sight! The man leaves and Lola takes to the stage to say a final goodbye.

We’re back outside and into the car. Predictably the driver is not happy we don’t have the diamond, but offers a solution. We need to go to a house where he knows it will have been taken and steal it back – we’re given a note with specific instructions. Again, with head in hands we’re driven across town. Whilst in the car the Parisian radio station cuts to a news broadcast which talks of the diamond theft and the possible suspects, all adding to the story’s complexity and intrigue.

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets continued

We arrive at the house where we have been told we need to commit the robbery as the owner is out for a short period of time. As the four of us sneak through the doors we are apprehended by a stranger in the dark of the house, “There has been a change of plan, she is here, but we still need to get the diamond”. We’re each handed a small torch, and assigned rooms to check. I was given the study on the fourth floor.

The note we received in the taxi leads us to a statue of a dog and a four digit code around its neck. Sneaking into the study in the pitch black I find the dog and retrieve the code. At this point the owner realises there is someone in her house and rings her lover. Our time is limited and the man leading us shows us to a room with the safe containing the diamond.

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets continued

We’re all stood around as I hurriedly enter the code into the combination lock. Just as it finally opens we hear a scream, the alarm goes off and the lights come on. “Run!” shouts the man, so diamond in hand and armed with alarming amounts of adrenaline, the five of us hurtle down the staircase and out onto the street.

We’re then instructed to keep calm and walk so as not to draw attention to ourselves. We follow him up the road where we are met by Jacque, who is thrilled when he is given the diamond. The other man vanishes and we are handed two black helium filled balloons, this was confusing but by now we were getting quite used to things being confusing. Jacque looks excited and beckons us to follow him to a hairdressers where Cecile is clearing up after her days work.

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Scenes 2 – 7 - In the streets continued

One of the group is instructed to go in and ask for a haircut, another goes into to distract her whilst Jacque puts the lights out. He lights some candles and puts on a special song of theirs. When her back is turned I give Jacque the sign, he walks over embraces her and gives her the diamond. They share a kiss and again the quality of acting convinces you they are genuinely in love.

They lead us out into the street and take the balloons from us. They point us towards the public phone and suggest we look into the change slot. In there is a note which simply reads “fin”. They walk to the end of the road, look back at us, let the balloons float away, wave and vanish. We look at each other in disbelief at the what we have just been a part of. The most impressive part…scenes 2 - 7 took just 50 minutes from start to finish. Wow!

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Closing thoughts

I feel lucky to have been a part of the Stella Artois Black Diamond Experience. From a personal experience I found it incredible. From an effectiveness perspective for the brand I must say I’m undecided…

On the one hand I see it as a wonderful victory for quality over quantity. Reaching a small number of people with a rich, impactful, quality message, over simply reaching a great quantity of people with more traditional types of communications. There is no doubt that the 1,500 (approx) people that experienced what I did will preach it like the gospel. However, on the other hand I can’t help to question how much of an impact that will have on a larger scale on people’s intent to purchase the product and engage with the brand. In my opinion it will need significant support from traditional media to ensure the message reaches the masses.

Thank you

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