Jorge, a merchant, one day meets a dog he nicknames Rogelio, and little by little their relationship transforms into a silent bond of companionship and loyalty that transcends life and death.
That is the story that the Mexican brand Cerveza Victoria tells in “A ti, qué te awaits?”, an animated short film that pays tribute to the country’s tradition and its cultural legacy.
This is the firm’s first animated film marketed by Grupo Modelo, and has been worked on together with the creative agency Wieden+Kennedy México. The piece, which is articulated around the meaning and rites and celebrations of the Day of the Dead in Mexico, combines art, culture and emotion to reinforce Cerveza Victoria as a brand that keeps the country’s memory alive.
The short, almost five minutes long, presents a story of loyalty and love, inspired by the Mexican vision of reunion after death. The film focuses, on the one hand, on the figure of the xoloitzcuintle, a dog that acts as guardian of souls in the Mexica tradition, and on the other, on local merchants, who symbolize the human bond that connects the brand with communities throughout the country.
“It is essential to create campaigns that honor our traditions and foster an emotional connection with consumers“, commented Yune Aranguren, Director of Main Brands of Grupo Modelo, as reported Little Black Book. “This project is a perfect example of how culture, art and community can come together to inspire and create a memorable campaign.”.
“Who is waiting for you?” It was made by hand drawing and painting each of the 2,500 shots that make up the short film, incorporating the colors and symbols of Mexican culture and guided by the spirit of Mexican muralism. The piece, with a marked artisanal and cinematographic character, has been directed by YUCA, the artistic duo Daniella Schuarts and Leonardo Salomão.
The brand has shared a video showing the creative process, narrated by actor Poncho Herrera.
The campaign highlights craftsmanship and human creative talent in a context increasingly dominated by the use of artificial intelligence. “We wanted to create something fresh, unique and relatable, something that fused the roots of tradition with current visual language. At a time when AI is ubiquitous, we decided to go in the opposite direction and create something 100% artisanal and human”, commented Daniel Palala and María Lempicka, Creative Directors at Wieden+Kennedy México.
The short film was released on October 10 and already has more than 12 million views. On the 17th there was a special outdoor screening during the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM). In addition, according to the aforementioned media, a “petfilm” version has been carried out, that is, a version with colors adapted to canine vision.
On the other hand, the campaign includes a special edition of Cerveza Victoria with the xoloitzcuintle as the protagonist. It has also created a special packaging that it has called “Cajaltar”. It is a box of 12 cans of beer designed to be adapted to a small altar and, with it, honor the dead as tradition indicates.
Felipe Ambra, Vice President of Marketing at Grupo Modelo, assures that the campaign is a great example of how to unite art, science and discipline. Art through painting and emotional storytelling; discipline for identifying the insight of the growing cultural relevance of mascots on the Day of the Dead and connecting it with the symbolism of the Xoloitzcuintle; and discipline for sustaining a consistent brand vision for years.
“Victoria continues to be the brand that honors the traditions of Mexico with pride, respect and emotion”; he commented via LinkedIn. “Congratulations to the team that made it possible and thank you for reminding us that creativity with purpose is our best legacy“.
