A Crowded Bar Is 'Worth It' for a Cold Stella Artois

But it might make stealing chalices more challenging

Stella Artois makes navigating a packed bar “Worth It” in an OOH campaign from Grey London. Taking home a chalice on the fly, however, might have to wait for another night.

Shot by famed photographer Ale Burset, “Claustrobars” captures the joy of having a Stella in-hand, despite feeling crammed like a sardine. The pics capture only joy amidst a chaotic environment. The line “Worth it” hovers close to each patron’s glass.

“We hired out a real bar, packed it with extras, and recreated the kind of night you’d actually have out, music and all—just minus the alcohol, unfortunately,” say Christopher Lapham and Aaron McGurk, GCDs at Grey. “Ale Burset, our photographer, is brilliant with people. He knows how to make a set feel comfortable and natural, which is why these shots feel so unforced. There’s a rare intimacy in them. He’s a master at capturing the in-between moments that feel real.”

Ads will be placed outside of busy bars in London, Chile and Brazil, along with a social and digital media presence.

“Stella’s brand strategy centers on the idea of ‘sacrifice’ and when we thought about it, we asked ourselves: what would people give up for a Stella in daily life? The one that kept rising to the top was around personal space,” the creatives tell Muse. “It’s such a relatable sacrifice, especially in busy cities. From there, we zeroed in on the idea of making people feel that squeeze. The claustrophobia, the anticipation, the relief.”

“The result was a print campaign that didn’t shout, but stuck with you. ‘Worth It’ became the emotional punch. Not just a line, but a truth. And it has real legs. From claustrophobic bars to bad dates or flight delays, there are countless moments in life where Stella can be the thing that makes the chaos worthwhile.”