They are leading Bristol cultural institutions and now, finally, Aardman Animations have created a TV ad for Thatchers Cider, complete with models of the cider farm, the Thatchers dog, miniature bottles of cider and a stop-motion animated Martin Thatcher.
The 40-second long ad will be screened for the first time on TV at 9.15pm this evening, Thursday, May 25, but you can get a sneak preview by scrolling down and watching the ad in advance.
And incredibly, Aardman’s animators took 480 hours to film the brief commercial, building a model Myrtle Farm in Sandford, near Bristol. Such was the attention to detail that between each frame being photographed, the dog’s hair was brushed with a toothbrush.
Read next: Thatchers Gold cider is now best-selling draught pint in South West pubs
The ad uses Aardman’s stop-motion animation techniques to take people through the gates of Myrtle Farm, to see an animated version of the farm and the apples being turned into cider. It ends with an animated Martin Thatcher - the fourth generation of cidermakers to run the firm - arriving aboard the Thatchers’ hot air balloon for the weekly Friday morning tasting, which is ritually done in real life before that week’s batch can be shipped out.
Thatchers has grown exponentially in recent years, and for the first time ever since records began, Thatchers Gold was the most pulled brand of alcoholic drink pulled in pubs in the West Country last year - that’s the first time a cider, not a beer or a lager, has been the most popular draught drink in a region, ever.
Martin Thatcher usually appears at the end of all the Thatchers ads, but this time he didn’t need to in person - and sent his tiny animated version instead. “Partnering with Aardman, a truly iconic brand with such amazing creative genius, and situated in the West Country as we are, allows us to introduce consumers to a new, light-hearted storytelling creative about our ciders,” he said.
“It’s been a real privilege to see how Aardman shares the same total commitment to painstaking perfection every step of the way, as we do at Thatchers,” he added.
“This is a film that allows people to step into the world of Thatchers. Our passion for creating the most perfect cider is reflected in the genius of Aardman, whose animators have recreated life at Myrtle Farm in the most minute and exacting detail, from our iconic barn doors, to our hot air balloon where the basket was handwoven out of real straw. Fabric from our own workwear has even been used to create some of the costumes,” he said.
Aardman said the pairing of the Wallace and Gromit animators with Thatchers was a ‘pairing made in heaven’. Aardman and Nick Park made their name, before all the movies, in TV ads, most notably the Heat Electric Creature Comforts series in the 1980s and 90s.
“We are delighted to be working alongside South West based creative agency Bray Leino to create an ad for such an iconic brand as Thatchers,” said Lydia Gough, Aardman’s sales and marketing boss.
“Thatchers and Aardman is a pairing made in heaven, two loved brands with a passion for their craft, both proudly independent and sharing roots in the South West. We are very excited for everyone to see the new commercial.”
The ad was directed by Aardman’s Will Studd. “I am thrilled to be directing a new advert for Thatchers, a cider brand that shares our passion for craft and attention to detail,” he said. “As a paid-up cider enthusiast, I am drinking in the opportunity to bring the Thatchers family, farm, dog, and selected staff members to life with detailed puppets and sets.
“Being able to collaborate with such a well-established South West brand on this project is an honour, I'm eager to create a beautiful film that captures the essence of Thatchers and their focus on perfection,” he added.
Read next:
- Thatchers Blood Orange is Britain's 'best-selling new alcoholic drink'
- There's more to Sandford than Hot Fuzz or even cold fizz
- Thatchers have released a zero-alcohol cider
- Joyous scenes in Bristol as Thatchers unveil Gold in a keg
Thatchers controversy prompts three Bristol pubs to stop serving its ciders
Thatchers Cider boss ‘devastated’ by Countering Colston boycott campaign
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