Star Wars fans were exposed to a whole new side of the franchise when a viral video of a Chilean broadcast integrated with commercials made the rounds on social media. The user who posted it on X (formerly Twitter) mentioned that the original Star Wars trilogy was aired in Chile in the early 2000s for the first time and there was a weird product integration in the broadcast.
The broadcast was reportedly integrated with commercials for the Chilean beer company Cerveza Cristal. Instead of the traditional method of cutting to commercials in the middle of airing, the channel reportedly cut the commercials within the film, showing the beer at pivotal points. The video sparked a trend of integrating the commercial into various other films.
Chilean Beer Brand Integrated Itself Into The Star Wars Franchise
Star Wars was an international phenomenon upon its release in 1977 due to its groundbreaking visual effects and iconic characters. The franchise has spawned multiple sequels, prequels, and spin-off films and shows, as well as countless other media and merchandise. Created by George Lucas, the film franchise has a global fanbase.
When the original Star Wars trilogy began to air in the South American country Chile in the early 2000s, broadcasters reportedly created a controversial yet creative ad campaign. Collaborating with Cerveza Cristal beer company, a local beer brand that was famous in Chile, Channel 13 reportedly integrated ads for the beer within the film instead of cutting to commercials.
According to The Guardian, the ad campaign was handled by the advertising group OMD Santiago, which also won the Grand Prix at the Cannes International Advertising Festival in 2004. The commercials and campaigns saw the product being integrated at key moments in the original trilogy. One viral clip saw Obi-Wan Kenobi handing Luke Skywalker a cold one in the scene where he originally handed him his father’s lightsaber.
While many hailed the company for its creative ad campaign, Star Wars creator George Lucas was reportedly not happy with the integration of a brand within key scenes of the films. According to BNN Breaking, Lucas filed a grievance with the Chilean Council for Self-Regulation and Advertising Ethics. The grievance resulted in Channel 13 being banned from airing the brand-integrated Star Wars films.
The Chilean Star Wars Videos Made A Comeback As A Meme
Fans of the Star Wars franchise had a divisive reaction to the product-integrated film broadcast. While some found the videos to be hilarious, others initially questioned the authenticity of the videos. The X user Windy, who was the original poster of the video on X reportedly posted another video after combating questions of inauthenticity.
The videos also sparked a trend in the beer commercial being integrated into other films, making it the new meme template. Films such as Dune: Part Two, The Thing, Lord of The Rings, and The Gladiator became subject to the meme as iconic scenes from these films were manipulated to include Cervaza Cristal beer.
🎶 CERVEZA CRISTAL 🎶 pic.twitter.com/238SibRMCw
— Braddington (@bradwhipple) March 4, 2024
Caught the first DUNE on Chilean TV the other night, can't believe they're still at it https://t.co/i5nl05GCcs pic.twitter.com/TomhKMAhfj
— Owain Anderson (@owainanderson) March 4, 2024
Seamless.
— Canadian Tokusatsu Donald🇨🇦⚡️ (@GreenRangerDon) March 5, 2024
Please I need her to watch Star Wars at least once https://t.co/6r39GWQxXw
— Hongan Os (@hongan_os) March 5, 2024
god i thought all of these were a childhood feverdream but thanks for confirming i am not insane
— Lunaria (@LunariaAyaren) March 5, 2024
Are you not into 🎶 CERVEZA CRISTAL 🎶?? pic.twitter.com/v810nxINhh
— Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens (@CSMFHT) March 5, 2024
— Tim Owens, Cat Wrangler (@AtTimOwens) March 4, 2024
Many fans were fascinated by the seamless way in which the commercials were integrated into the films. During pivotal scenes, a body double of the hands of the characters would be placed, and instead of doing the action originally written, they would crack open a cold can of Cervaza Cristal.
While the OMD Santiago group was banned from airing the Star Wars beer film/commercials, they reportedly redid the campaign for other films such as American Beauty, Notting Hill, and Gladiator (via BNN Breaking).
