Silence Is Golden as Leffe 'Brings More to the Table'

Some brands get all shouty, but AB InBev’s Leffe lets nods, glances, arched eyebrows and raised glasses do the talking.

In a pan-European campaign, Wieden+Kennedy London and director Gary Freedman focus on two old pals who carry on a lively conversation over a couple of pints. But the men never speak a word.

Such chatterboxes! Given the focus on socializing and connection, the approach feels counterintuitive.

Yet it works, in a quiet way, suggesting that deep, abiding friendships needn’t be boisterous. True communication takes place at that table. About trivia, mostly. Still, that’s the stuff that sometimes means the most. Maybe Leffe added a touch of malted gold, as it were, to the blissfully shared silence.

W+K developed the work “in response to loud ads,” say creative directors Charlie Lanus and Lucas Reis. “Our audience is a bit more mature. They are not standing around in bars and clubs anymore. They are sitting around the table, sharing life. It’s an invitation to share, in an honest way that only comes with the experience that age brings.”

Director Freedman has delivered subtlety and strong visual storytelling before, notably in last year’s sweet spot for Ikea. His work for PlayStation and Autodesk, however, ratcheted up the volume and bluster considerably.

Along with the commercial, social, digital and OOH elements, with some images shot by Sam Wright, invite viewers to “Bring More to the Table.”