Clips from the original “Star Wars” films as they aired in Chile circa 2003 are going viral for the unique way one TV station incorporated commercials for the beer Cerveza Cristal.
Star Wars Featuring Cerveza Cristal
X user @heyitswindy kicked off the viral sensation by sharing one such clip, writing, “Around 2003 in Chile, when the original trilogy of Star Wars began airing on television there, they did this funny thing to avoid cutting to commercial breaks. They stitched the commercials into the films themselves. Here is one of them, with the English dub added in.”
Around 2003 in Chile, when the original trilogy of Star Wars began airing on television there, they did this funny thing to avoid cutting to commercial breaks. They stitched the commercials into the films themselves. Here is one of them, with the English dub added in. pic.twitter.com/wC7N2vPNvv
— Windy
(@heyitswindy) March 2, 2024
In the “Star Wars: A New Hope” clip embedded above, Obi-Wan Kenobi talks to Luke Skywalker about his father. Obi-Wan then opens a box, saying, “Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough.” Instead of pulling out Anakin’s lightsaber, however, Obi-Wan pulls a Cerveza Cristal can out of a cooler. The beer company’s jingle plays.
Gizmodo Australia confirmed this clip and more were real with legal documents from the Chilean Consejo de Autorregulación y Etica Publicitaria (Self-Regulation and Advertising Ethics Council). It turns out George Lucas wasn’t too happy with the way Chile’s Channel 13 cut commercials directly into the films. Lucasfilm filed a grievance with the council in 2004, which can be found on the website as case 0601. The council sided with Lucas, ruling that the commercials could not be aired again.
I’d never heard of it, and it’s fantastic.
Above all, it explains how Palpatine somehow survived: with Cerveza Cristal. https://t.co/JtNd4jOE3e pic.twitter.com/kuX3Cn0Ls8
— The Spaceshipper
(@TheSpaceshipper) March 3, 2024
That hasn’t stopped X users from uncovering more of the commercials, however. Above is a clip from “Return of the Jedi” shared by user @TheSpaceshipper. In the clip, Emperor Palpatine uses the Force to grab a Cerveza Cristal.
The ads are accomplished by having hand doubles wearing costume pieces similar to the original “Star Wars” actors interact with the beer cans in close-ups.
Though Cristal didn’t appear in future broadcasts of “Star Wars,” Channel 13 and Cerveza Cristal did stitch ads for the drink into other popular movies like “Gladiator,” “American Beauty,” and “Notting Hill.” (via IGN)
In 2004, Cerveza Cristal’s agency OMD Santiago, received the top award at Cannes International Advertising Festival for “managing to persuade Chile’s broadcasters to allow Cristal Beer to be placed in scenes within a series of major movies.” (via The Guardian)
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The post “May the Cerveza Cristal Be With You!” Chilean Beer Ads Are a Part of Classic Star Wars Trilogy Films appeared first on WDW News Today.