Flavour Amplified: The Making of a TV Ad During Lockdown

August 10, 2020

How to make a TV ad during lockdown, when you cannot work with a film crew and you cannot show people enjoying themselves in your taproom because of social distancing and the fact that bars are closed for the foreseeable future?

That was the question we found ourselves pondering in mid-May, mid-lockdown having partnered with STV Group PLC to help launch our new branding with support from the prestigious STV Growth Fund.

We had set our brand refresh in motion and inspired by the slightly psychedelic patterns on the packaging, we realised that animation was the way to go. 

Excited by the impact that something very different could have on mainstream TV, we started to put out feelers to people in our networks, to pick their brains.

We wanted to keep things really local; working with local artists, musicians and creatives as close to home as possible. It felt appropriate during isolation and lockdown, when so many of us enjoyed a smaller, kinder, more connected world.

Through a whole series of serendipitous connections made during lockdown, our virtual creative team started to take shape.

First up were Ben Whiting (Orange Fish) and Daniel Paylor, two Edinburgh creatives who we’d first met during our ‘Can for A Can’ Food Bank collection in mid-March. They got in touch to offer their services, wanting to keep their creative minds fresh during lockdown and furlough. Ben and Dan developed an impactful social media teaser campaign leading up to our brand reveal that you might have noticed on our social media channels. They also produced our new logo animation (the bell that transforms into the lines of our new Resonance branding).

Our friends at Neu Reekie introduced us to filmmaker and animator, Ross Hogg who hand drew illustrations of our new cans and the Resonance patterns of our new branding and then animated the whole thing. They also put us in touch with Trystan and Aaron of The Paradise Palms bar, then the eponymous record label and General Jacuzzi (Aaron) who composed the music that accompanies and punctuates Ross’s animation. 

The ad was produced by Gerry Farrell Ink, a long standing contact who was also highly recommended by a number of  industry professionals within our network. 

The result of this ferment of creativity? A really impactful, 30-second advertisement that we think perfectly captures the spirit and ambition of Bellfield. 

We’re hugely grateful to STV for supporting us through the Growth Fund - it’s an incredible opportunity for a young company like ours to have this level of exposure across Scotland.

The ad goes to air for the first time today [Monday 10th August] so watch out for it on STV where it will run for two weeks across Scotland. If you miss it, check out the ad on YouTube. 

We hope you like it as much as we do.

Quotes - working on the Bellfield Brewery TV Ad:

"Working with Alistair and everyone at Bellfield on the 'Resonance' ad campaign during lockdown has been great. Being involved in a project with a local company so embedded in the community (literally 10 minute’s walk from my flat) has added a really personal element, which has been especially welcome given that we've all been working in isolation for so long. It's been really rewarding to be able to put whatever animation skills I have to use in the hope that they can really benefit a local and approachable company like Bellfield." Ross Hogg, Director/Filmmaker/Animator

"We're really proud to have worked with Bellfield Brewery, a local brewery selling world-class beers and it's been a real buzz working with BAFTA-winning animator Ross Hogg and the talented composers at Paradise Palms. Bellfield deserves to become a famous and well-loved beer brand. They've set the bar really high with their new Resonance branding and this mesmerising, impossible-to-ignore TV commercial really does it justice." Gerry Farrell, Creative Fixer at Gerry Farrell Ink

"STV is delighted to partner with Bellfield Brewery to support the launch of their newly refreshed brand. STV attracts mass audiences – reaching 82% of Scots each month – and helps companies connect with their customers to help accelerate their growth.

“STV is committed to driving the Scottish economy by championing Scottish SMEs, providing a platform to grow their business and build their brand on TV and we are thrilled to collaborate with Bellfield Brewery through their membership of the STV Growth Fund.” Danielle Kelly, Director of Strategic Development, STV Group PLC.

"From the start a really interesting vision from Alistair for this project - a brilliant animated edge bringing to life the characteristics and stunning labels of the new lineup. Amazing to work alongside artist Ross Hogg - unreal work from him on this!"

"Looking forward to future collaborations with this team." Aaron Main (Jacuzzi General), Paradise Palms Records.

Bellfield Brewery - Flavour Amplified STV Campaign - August 2020

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