E-Malt.com News article: Belgium: Stella Artois launches a revolutionary Internet site

Stella Artois, the Gold Standard European lager which traces its roots back to 1366, unveiled its new global brand website, M2 PressWIRE reported September 18. The site can be found at www.stellaartois.com.

Revolutionising the way in which visitors interact with a website, navigation around www.stellaartois.com is through a short film - La Bouteille - that was created specifically for the site and will never be seen in traditional advertising slots.

"Stella Artois has always set itself apart from the competition with its innovative approach to connecting with beer enthusiasts and our new global website is no exception," said Frank Abenante, Vice President of Global Brands at InBev. "This truly is a consumer-driven experience and we think it will change the landscape of brand websites."

La Bouteille charts the quest by a noble barman into the wilds of latter-day Leuven to retrieve a bottle of Stella Artois for a lady, only for his attempts to deliver it to her table being thwarted by the gruff bar owner.

In addition to enjoying the broadcast-quality short film, visitors can immerse themselves in a number of dramatised digital challenges which entertain and inform them about Stella Artois' history and heritage; from overcoming the challenges and myths of brewing and delivering the perfect beer in 1366 when myths such as the world being flat and thunder being caused by the gods fighting were held strong; through to pouring the perfect beer in the nine-step pouring ritual and learning about the establishment of the brewery through the ghost of the first Master Brewer.

"Research confirmed what we already knew - our target consumers were online and looking for different and compelling content," explains Neil Gannon, Global Brand Manager for Stella Artois. "We realised there was an opportunity to connect with them in a way that really speaks to them. The site was a year in the making and all part of an online strategy that will give our beer drinkers more of what they want."

The broadband-optimised content is already proving to be a hit, with several hundred bloggers around the world getting exclusive information and access to the site in advance of the launch.

Reaction from bloggers, who were offered a sneak preview of the new site, has been extremely positive. According to www.adverbox.com: "It's a great piece of interactive marketing and "traditional" advertising, where old jobs and new animatics are joined together to ensure a very good brand experience."

Lowe Worldwide led the development of the site, under the direction of the Global Stella Artois brand team. La Bouteille was directed by Czech director Martin Krejc together with members of the same Hollywood production crew that worked on The Illusionist. It was filmed on Ingmar Bergman's last set.

About Stella Artois

Stella Artois, a brand of 'Supreme quality and worth', is one of InBev's global brands. It sold 10 million hl in 2006 and is the fifth largest international beer in the world excluding domestic sales. With roots tracing back to the Den Horen brewing enterprise in 1366, in the Belgian city of Leuven, it is now available in over 80 countries.


19 September, 2007