ADS OF THE DAY: Stella Artois

Back in the 80s, most lagers in the UK were brewed to around 3.5%.

Stella Artois was a full 5.2%, and was more expensive than its rivals.

There was a reason for this.

Or rather, there were three.

It was brewed with the best female Saaz hops.

It was malted using only Europe’s finest barley.

And unlike other cheaper lagers, it was brewed for six weeks.

So did ad agency Lowe Howard-Spink skirt around the high price?

Not a bit, they made a virtue of it.

And created a great campaign around the strapline, Reassuringly expensive.

A SEYMOUR 

It was written by copywriter Geoff Seymour in 1981, but he had no idea he’d come up with it.

Agency head, Frank Lowe spotted the line in a piece of Stella Artois body copy. He decided it was the perfect strapline for the whole campaign and nicked it.

(Incidentally, Geoff Seymour had another claim to fame. When he joined Saatchi & Saatchi in 1982, Geoff Seymour became Britain's first £100,000-a-year copywriter.

And a ‘Seymour’ became adland slang for a six-figure salary!)

Agency head, Frank Lowe said that Reassuringly expensive, “… was a great oxymoron.”

But the client hated it.

“The client at first said we can’t highlight the fact it’s expensive”. I said, “The public will love it” and they did.”

So Frank Lowe got his way. And the line stuck and went from print ads to TV commercials, being used for more than 20 years.

This great ad was written by Chris O’Shea and was part of a cracking campaign all based on the same luxury proposition.