On November 2, Mexico celebratesDía de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a day for honouring loved ones who have died. For the last four years, Cerveza Victoria has created a tribute for the day. This year’s is very special. It’s a 3-minute film, created by Ogilvy Mexico and produced by Media.Monks, built on real comments left on Cerveza Victoria’s social channels throughout the years. Mexicans’ messages of love for the people they’ve lost.    

El sabor del reencuentro [The Taste of Reunion] invites all people to reconnect with their loved ones through the ancient traditions that define and bring Mexicans together.

“At this point, we can confidently say that the Day of the Dead campaign is the most anticipated one for Mexicans, and that’s because of the dedication and bravery that we’ve had at Ogilvy and Cerveza Victoria,” stated Jessica Apellaniz, chief creative officer at Ogilvy Mexico & LATAM. “With El sabor del reencuentro, we cast a spotlight on the most valuable thing in our lives: the company of our loved ones. Once again, we’ve bet on an idea that resonates with Mexicans, working together with a brand that never stops innovating.”

“At Cerveza Victoria, we’ve focused year after year on elevating this important celebration with the aim of bringing people hope and honouring the memory of their loved ones,” added Martín Raygoza, director of Cerveza Victoria at Grupo Modelo. “As a brand, we’re fully committed to Mexican culture and we will always seek to showcase the traditions of our country for the world to see.”

Accompanying the release of the film is the launch of a new Cerveza Victoria beer,  Victoria Cempasúchil, infused with Mexican marigold extracts, an ancestral flower that dresses the homes of Mexicans every Day of the Dead with its bright petals. The beer comes in a special-edition can designed by Mexican illustrator, Revost, which will be available during the Day of the Dead season. 

Ogilvy Mexico’s creative team was led by Javier Melo, Kevin Murcia and Pilar Troconis. They commented, “We started by asking ourselves: what would we like to tell our late loved ones if we had the chance to see them again? That was the main premise we drew from. The idea of using real messages made it even more special. Each phrase, each word is our way to honour and celebrate those who are gone. We’re truly proud of the passion that the team pours into this highly-anticipated campaign.”

The full campaign includes the 3-minute film, two 60-second films for TV, cinema and digital, as well as four posters with original designs.

“Each year, Cerveza Victoria celebrates Day of the Dead by unearthing ancient traditions and reinterpreting them from a fresh perspective, whether mythology, family, the power of poetry, and more,” stated Mauricio Gaya, creative director at Media.Monks. “This year’s film touches on the reunion between the living and the dead through the unique flavour of this new product.”

Credits

Client: Cerveza Victoria
Regional Brand Directors: Yune Aranguren & Martín Raygoza
Brand Manager: Samantha Herrera 
Regional Brands Coordinator: Jessica Flores, Daniel Cisneros

Agency: Ogilvy Mexico
Chief Executive Officer Ogilvy Mexico & Miami: Verónica Hernández
Chief Creative Officer Latam: Jessica Apellaniz
Chief Creative Officer: Diego Rodríguez
Chief Operating Officer: Fabiola Alves
Creative Directors: Kevin Murcia, Javier Melo
Art Director: Jonathan Aparicio, Ismael Mora
Copywriter: Jácome González
Producers: Rosa Elena Arizmendi & Silvia Gómez
Account Management: María Del Pilar Troconis, Nuri Briseño & Alfredo Salmerón, Paola Romero
Project Manager: Montserrat Torres
Planning: Mitchelle Quintanilla & Itzel Elorza
Content Manager: Belem Rodríguez

Production Company: Media.Monks – Film.Monks
Director: Salomon Lightelm
Cinematographer: Diego Garcia
Head Of Film Craft & Talent: Maarten Sunderman  
Director Table Top: Rodrigo Bonilla 
Cinematographer Table Top: Pablo Mercado
Executive Producers: Adrian Pastrana & Octavio Gortazar 
Line Producer: Yasser Eluani 
Assistant Director: Rodrigo Urbano
Art Director: Gustavo Bosque

Editor: Gerardo Téllez 
Colourists: Mikey Pehanich, Esteban Robles & Diego Flores
Music Composers: Pim Van Den Heuvel & Gabriel Barredo 
Mix & Sound Design: Vincent Jacobs & Yourick Coster 
Sound Manager: Agnes Kes

Photographer: Diego Flores
Creative Director: Mauricio Gaya
Film Director Digital Unit: Robin Lee
Post Production Manager: Marloes De Rijke