Rise - Guinness | Clapboard Ad Archive

Guinness Singapore’s 2017 campaign Rise, created by BBDO, commands attention with a sharply focused narrative that positions the brand at the intersection of aspiration and authenticity in the food and drink sector. By anchoring the film in the true story of Luke Landrigan—a surfer whose vision transformed a small fishing village into an internationally recognized surf destination—the campaign forges a direct association between Guinness and the values of perseverance, individuality, and impact. Rather than centering on product attributes or consumption occasions, Rise employs what Clapboard's taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#10—Associated User Imagery, elevating the journey and ethos of a real individual who embodies the spirit Guinness wants to reflect in its audience. The film medium is leveraged not as a showcase for product usage but as a vessel for emotive storytelling, with Landrigan’s journey serving as a metaphor for those who rise above circumstances to shape and uplift their communities. This approach deepens emotional resonance and encourages viewers to see themselves—and those they admire—in the brand’s aspirational messaging, fortifying Guinness’s positioning as more than a beverage, but a badge for those who embody resilience and positive influence. Digital touchpoints, including the brand’s website and Facebook page, provide extended engagement and reinforce the campaign’s narrative beyond the primary film asset, inviting consumers to further explore the values at the heart of both the campaign and the brand. The choice to focus exclusively on the changemaker—rather than the brand’s direct intervention—allows for an organic alignment with consumer identity, carefully tailored to local relevance while tapping into universal themes of passion and self-determination. By eschewing didactic messaging in favor of relatable, lived experience, Guinness Singapore connects with a new generation of drinkers through sophisticated storytelling, underscoring the brand’s heritage of celebrating those made of more. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. While the Guinness Singapore Rise campaign stands as a testament to the power of authentic user-focused narratives, it signals that brand communication in the alcoholic drinks industry is evolving toward deeper personal identification and lasting emotional engagement.