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Dave Dobbyn x Japan: Lion turns Tokyo into a Slice of Heaven

Lion’s Tokyo Dry is blending local and Japanese culture, in a new campaign by DDB featuring Dave Dobbyn’s ‘Slice of Heaven’ recreated in Tokyo.

The remake has been composed and produced by Cam Ballantyne of Beatworms, the two-minute video features a montage of contemporary and traditional Japanese scenes, with the sounds acting as the track to the song.

Dave Pearce, brand director of domestic beer and craft at Steinlager, says it’s been a lot of fun to take a tune that’s ingrained in all our minds and remake it in a way that presents it in a new and exciting form.

“Shooting the campaign in Tokyo allowed the team to do this in a really authentic, interesting way, and we had some great Japanese talent to work with to make this possible. This track perfectly embodies Tokyo Dry.”

While the lyrics are undeniably ‘Slice of Heaven’, the video does make you look closer as Karaoke, J-Pop, and Electropop to the traditional instruments of Shamisen and Taiko drums are not expected features of a Dave Dobbyn video.

Seeing the spot for the first time, Dobbyn says he loves how the essence of his song has remained true while being transformed through the lens of a completely different culture.

“When I wrote the lyrics ‘da da da’ I never imagined them to be some of the best lyrics I’d ever written, and that 33 years later ‘Slice of Heaven’ would still be so catchy and recreated in this way. I’m impressed with how all the sounds have come together.”

DDB chief creative officer Damon Stapleton adds they wanted to emotively convey the simplicity of what Steinlager’s Tokyo Dry beer stands for – New Zealand meets Japan.

“’Slice of Heaven’ is an unmistakable Kiwi classic that still conjures so much feel-good, sing-a-long enthusiasm from New Zealanders young and old. We loved the idea of taking something so iconic and recreating it in a modern, Japanese way, just like Steinlager did when it launched Tokyo Dry.”

The tone of the campaign continues on from that of its 2016 launch campaign.

Also by DDB, it hurls the viewer into a fantastical dance circle unfolding on the streets of Tokyo to an original soundtrack by Ballantyne.

For the efforts to launch Steinlager Tokyo Dry, Lion picked up the Brand Extension/Innovation, Best Partnership and FMCG awards at the 2017 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards.

Credits:

Client credits: Lion New Zealand
National Marketing Director: Craig Baldie
Brand Director – Domestic Beer & Craft: Dave Pearce
Brand Manager – Steinlager: Kate Abercrombie

Agency credits: DDB
Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton
Executive Creative Director: Shane Bradnick
Creative Directors: James Conner; Christie Cooper
Lead Partner: Jennifer Travers
Senior Business Manager: Michael Doolan
Executive Planning Director: Lucinda Sherborne
Executive Producer: Judy Thompson
Senior TV Producer: Samantha Royal

Production Company: Goodoil
Executive Producer: Mark Foster
Business Director: George Mackenzie
Director: Joel Kefali
Producer: Andrew Mclean
Line Production: Mr Positive
Line Producer: Peter Grasse
DOP: Germaine McMicking

Offline Editor: Mark Burnett @ The Editors
Colourist: Dave Gibson
Online: Stu Bedford @ The Machine Room

Music Arranger / Producer: Cam Ballantyne, Beatworms
“Slice of Heaven” written by Dave Dobbyn, published by Native Tongue
Music Licensing: Jonathan Mihaljevich, Franklin Road
Dave Dobbyn Management: Lorraine Barry

Media: Zenith New Zealand
Managing Director: Stuart Rutherford
Group Business Director: Andrea Long

PR: The PR Shop
Director: Pippa Lekner
Group Account Director: Alisa Keall-Grant

Correction: The article originally read Cam Ballantyne of Beatworms was the composer and producer.

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