Guinness Beer is launching a new advertorial spot just in time for St. Patrick’s Day featuring one of its biggest fans, movie star Jason Momoa. The lighthearted short film was co-written and co-directed by Momoa and produced by his production company, ON THE ROAM. Guinness hopes the Aquaman star’s appeal will help introduce one of the world’s oldest beer brands to a new generation of drinkers.
“Finally, working with Jason has been so special,” said Joyce He, Guinness US brand director. “For years, he’s been a huge fan of ours and of course we’re huge fans of his. But this is more than just another partnership: together with Jason, we are starting a new chapter in our iconic story that will bring Guinness to more people, places and celebrations. I can’t wait to keep sharing with the world what we already know: any day is a lovely day for a Guinness.”
Founded 1759 in Dublin, Ireland, Guinness has grown into one of the most recognizable beer brands on the planet. Over the last several years, it has bucked the downward sales trajectory that has plagued much of the beer market, especially inside the United States. The brand reported its best year ever in 2023. Net sales grew +9% across all regions, with strong growth in Ireland, North America, Africa, and Great Britain. Driven by expanded marketing investment and the launch of Guinness 0, its first foray into the rapidly expanding non-alcoholic beer market, it was the third straight year of growth.
Diageo, the owner of Guinness, said in its annual report that building out the beer’s global appeal was one of its top priorities for 2024. That’s where Momoa comes in. As one of the more recognizable movie stars on the planet, he has professed his love for Guinness for decades. A glance online brings up images of him drinking pints of the beer, singing its praises for his mental health, and even securing placement of the beer in his latest Aquaman movie.
Named “Lovely Day,” the two-and-a-half-minute humorous short centers around Momoa discovering that he is of Irish descent. Designed to highlight the iconic brand’s universal appeal, it follows Momoa as he sprints across town to share the news with friends and family in an Irish pub. Momoa has high hopes for the spot and its ability to bring more drinkers into the Guinness camp.
The scene where Jason Momoa discovers he is of Irish decent in the Guinness “Lovely Day” short film. … [+]
“I have never hidden my love for Guinness my entire life. The passion in the film is real, and I think it will connect with the people watching it,” says Momoa. “My whole life, I have been urging people to try a pint and see for themselves, and now I have a much larger platform to spread that message. I hope this is just the beginning of many more projects with Guinness. I certainly will keep enjoying pints of it in my other projects where applicable. Working with them has always been on my dream job list, and I am so excited to have done this.”
The “Lovely Day” campaign will run for all of 2024, including new footage and variations of the film. It will air on television airwaves, social media threads, and on @GuinnessUS social handles. Given Momoa’s unspoken enthusiasm for the brand, Guinness’s newest pitchman may very well continue hawking the virtues of one of the world’s oldest brews.