Each of the artists brought their own unique style to their pub signs, which were then hung outside the pubs themselves - generating earned media coverage and initiated an auction for the original artworks alongside an important conversation about protecting pubs through tough times.

Stella Artois launched its new Unfiltered beer with an attention-grabbing advertising campaign. Titled ‘Beer, Au Naturel’ - meaning ‘a naked beer’ - the campaign uses nudity as a metaphor for the stripped back, natural qualities of the unfiltered beer.

But when it came to launching in pubs, Stella Artois wanted to channel this big idea into work that builds on the brand’s recent initiatives to support pubs and UK pub culture in a time of need.

Over half (55%) of British people told us that pubs are vital for their community, but data from our charity partner Hospitality Action showed that pubs were really struggling amidst the rising cost of living in the UK - 51 closed every month for the first three months of 2023.

Pub signs are one of the oldest OOH media in the UK. Featuring portraits of kings, queens, aristocrats, workers and historic figures, hand painted pub signs are a unique and iconic part of British pub life and British cultural heritage. But, unlike fine art which gets celebrated in galleries and homes, pub signs are taken for granted.

As Britain’s no 1 lager brand we had to act...but in a distinctly Stella Artois Unfiltered way of course.

Situation

Stella Artois Unfiltered launched as ‘Beer, Au Naturel’ – a campaign that celebrated it as a beer in its most natural form. But the on-trade launch lagged a few months behind the launch in supermarkets.

Brief

Launch Stella Artois Unfiltered in pubs in a way that builds on Stella Artois’ role as champion and supporter of the on-trade during a time of need for pubs.

Objectives

Awareness of Stella Artois Unfiltered in pubs

Awareness of the challenge facing pubs

Positive sentiment amongst on-trade customers and public

Each of the artists brought their own style to their pub sign, adding to the sense of uniqueness, craft and sense of storytelling that reflects the uniqueness, craft and storytelling of real pub signs.

Reuben Dangoor – known for his witty and provocative ideas – reimagined ‘The Cricketers’ featuring a batsman with a strategically placed bat.

Samuel Rees-Price presented a bold new view of 'Queen Victoria'.

RYCA – who first started out as a pub sign painter – carved and painted a sign for the ‘Robin Hood’ using traditional pub sign painting techniques.

Heath Kane – known for his iconic screen printed portraits – gave us one of the first (unofficial) portraits of HRH King Charles for ‘The Kings Head’