Tennent's Lager "Caledonia" advert

[youngjr67]

Why dont all us lovely Scottish people who live in dreary London, get together and inject some life into the place eh?! This is what made this advert great, that it reminds us who we really are and what is unique about Scotland. My English girlfriend loves Scotland, I think more than me. She would move up there in a flash. Alba Gu Brach..

[andrewjkerr]

great advert - made scotland look great in the early 90s - when there was feck all to live for if you were here! - still love my homeland!

[Chewy7575]

LOVED this ad when it was on the TV, and the song is amazing. Probably one of the most nostalgic ads I remember from my teens. The song itself got me through 5 homesick years in Ireland. OK, it's not all that far away but it's not Scotland, and the lager..eww?!?!? Every time I came home I had a craving for a nice cold pint of T.

IIRC Tennents had a lot of very good ads, including a few for Tennents Special

"Mind ye don't drop yer kegs Willie.

"Very funny, cha cha cha"

[GordonFerguson]

Speaking as a pissed off Scot in a City job in London, this is a real advert for our times. Lovely to know it's waiting just up the road.

[Boabywankenobi]

..great advert. A social comment that could be made as today. This should be back on the telly.

[psychonaut3]

That's settled it. I'm calling the removal men in the morning :)

I've been in London for 10 years. Watched this advert tonight, and it's really struck a chord. The people here are still miserable and unhelpful.

Was back in Glasgow 2 weeks ago, drinking an ice cold T...English bitter and french lager just isn't the same.

[sbmoar]

Brilliant! Been looking out for this appearing on Youtube since Youtube was launched. It's been great to have the full Frankie Miller video on here but I've been telling my Aussie wife about this for years...

Both me and my best mate from school now live in Oz and we always play a bit of Frankie before we head home for a trip. Nothing like a bit of teary-eyed nostalgia to get you in the mood for going home :) Thanks Tennents, many companies could do well to follow your example. Cheers!

[kilmorebhoy]

i know the feeling love a pint with the lads!! great ad

[iamascientist01]

Great work, you cana beat a good pint o T wi yer mates!

[murphyprecht]

this just makes ne proud to be from sunny scotland

[rocksteadyn1]

God - I'm having a homesick moment. I was in my home city of Glasgow when this ad was aired and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand when watching. It's such a classic. I'm now living in London and it hurts ! 'Mon Scotland

[CTmania]

WOW! Stumbled across this by accident.

I remember this from my youth. What a great advert it was. That is such a great tune aswell. Just read it wasnt shown in England. Im from Ireland and we got it there.

[andhisnumberis666]

Good one! Brings back memories!

[damonbike]

Great Ad. Beer's not bad either!

[jamiepaton5]

i never left scotland and i'm still aboot greetin wae pride at this advert, the best singer in the world. frankie miller.

[boredreiver]

Fantastic, more please!

[boredreiver]

Thank you for adding this. Ever since I moved to Sheffield last year I've wanted to see this advert from when I was seven. I may be heading to London in the next few months. The longer I'm down south, the more I have the sentiments of the guy in the advert. Truly a classic ad.

[boredreiver]

Thanks for putting this up. It was on TV when I was seven. When I moved to England (divinding time between Sheffield and London)last year I finally understood it's sentiments.  Truly a classic, if only all adds could be this good.

[JUNGLE10J]

i think i remember an ad with a guy coming home from australia and his mates are there to pick him up at the airport.made me think about moving when i was a kid and now i live in australia.makes coming home all the more special though.love tennants lager and love this ad.thanks and run it again cause i know loads of people who call this their favourite.

[philipob1690]

awesome man!

[gourdonboy]

only a true scot would get this

[murrmac]

might be a good idea to credit Dougie McLean and Frankie Miller in the tags ???

[murrmac]

Great to see this ad again, but please, let's give some credit to the artistes responsible.

Firstly let's acknowledge Dougie McLean, the composer of the song, and secondly, Frankie Miller, who sang it so soulfully in this advert.

Both these names should be in the tags, imo ...

[whenrybruce]

I remember it well, and now that I live in the US, it's all the more meaningful.

Many thanks to the Tennents Team for posting.

I would love access to the original high quality MPEG....

[bordarboy]

just thought you'd like to know that my english class is doing this advert for the media studies course, i've just written 100 hundred words on that little took he does before he leaves the lift :) damn that's a good look.

[beatityatube]

Been years since I saw this.  That's ma life story so it is. ;-) Thanks for uploading.

[etoiah]

Interesting. I'm in the US. You could make an ad like this showing a Southerner or Midwesterner in New York or LA and it'd hit home with a lot of Americans in much the same way. Then again, there's a lot of Scottish blood around this country still.

[wildwildrover2]

every scot abroad feels it at times.

great song. great ad

[CHARON1314]

Frankie Miller, it just don't get any better than this!!

[sarahjane4eva]

oh man does this advert totally rule! i love it!

[Toob41]

Great advert, fantastic song and stirring sentiment. It's not anti-English/London, it could just as easily have been New York or Delhi. It's kind of like Trainspotting backwards! Wherever you are - there's no place like home, if it's got beautiful scenery, friendly people and nice beer then even better!

[anettkah]

Who sang this BRILIANT version of Caldeonia and how do you get it for iTunes???

[98jambos]

This is THE greatest ad of all time.

I've done London for 4 years, good job etc...ran away to China...coming home to Scotland.

[aberdeenfc1983]

Should defo b aired again like, n londoners R that natured, so why complain?

shower o......

[tennentsteam]

Thanks for the compliments Monsterpop.

As for SD, you are amongst a group of people (including myself) who just loved the product. Unfortunately there just weren't enough of you at the time. Some folk just didn't seem to "get" it (not that there was much to get). Maybe you should start a campaign to bring it back (a la Cadbury's Wispa!)

If the people speak, we'll listen.

[kinkabala]

For sure its refreshing change from all the shallow garbage on tv .

I was tennets man too , aint seen this one in years - thanks again

[Monsterpop]

cheers Tennents,thats a top ad!

can you tell my why my very VERY favourite beer at the time(TENNENTS SD) was stopped?

man,i loved that stuff;-(

Monni Scotlaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnddddd­! ;-)

[Daddyfixit]

I understand it was shown in cinemas in London and received 100 times the normal number of complaints to the ASA. These were rejected on the basis that the depictions of life in London were 100% accurate but upheld that it gave teh impression that it's always dry, sunny and warm in Edinburgh!

One of my favourite adverts especially as I used to live 300m from the brewery in Edinburgh and have sampled much of the product!

[tennentsteam]

Now, that's an interesting one. I have never heard that story but hey, it could well be true! I'll see if any of the "more mature" memebers of the team have ever heard that one.

Glad you like the ad. We think it's a real classic.

[djcalcio]

typical scot, jacks a perfectly good job to go on the pish....

[aberdeenfc1983]

wot renowned beers do u brew thats stronger than water like?

jealousy is a terrible thing

[kingjames1970]

oh dear lord, 10 years in London and I want to just jump in the car and go!

What an amazing advert. Was it ever shown in England?

[tennentsteam]

Hi KingJames

No, I don't think the ad was ever shown in England, although from all the comments we've had on YouTube about it people outside Scotland still seem to love it. I guess it presents the very best that Scotland has to offer, versus that horrible feeling any gets when they're away from home not quite fitting in.

Glad you like it, the Tennent's team

[aberfoylebhoy]

I am moving back to 'Caledonia' next week, after 5 years in London, so this is very pertinent. Isn't the internet wonderful, nearly enough to get the tears flowing, if only I wasn't a Scottish man who doesn't do that kind of thing...

[tennentsteam]

Welcome home Aberfoylebhoy, we've all missed you!

[YvonnevdWerf]

Is it true that a pilot posted something on a bulletin board and that is why this video is here?

My husband says he was the one who asked about it.

Anyway, he is Scottish and I am Dutch. I think I can understand why he likes this video so much. It makes me want to become Scottish as well!!

[tennentsteam]

Yep, I can confirm that is true Yvonne! We here at Tennent's were in the process of getting all our old ads transferred into MPEG format so that we could showcase all our ads from over the years.

We picked up on your husband's post and made sure that Caledonia was one of the first ads we put online.

Glad to hear it has a rousing effect even on those not from Scotland too!  Yours, The Tennent's Team

[flypuppyinlux]

With a little more practice you will become Scottish... ;-)

TennetsTeam,

Many thanks for putting this on the web. Are there any plans to reuse or rework this advert?

When can we organise the PPRuNe visit to Wellpark? ;-)

[tennentsteam]

You're very welcome FlyPuppyInlux! No plans to ever re-run the Caledonia ad although we do still love it too. Hard to believe it's about 17 years old!

As for the visit to Wellpark, well unfortunately we don't do brewery tours any more (Health & Safety as its a working brewery). Sorry : ( I'll let you know if that changes though.

Will be posting the rest of the ad archive up here soon. Keep your eyes peeled for some other classics.

Yours, T Lady

[TheSi1verback]

Magnificent- still tugs the heart strings and homing instinct.

No, wait a minute.....I still live in Scotland!

[swmorris78]

i have been looking for this for ages!!! I remember this from when I was a wee laddie!! Now I am explaing this to people in Oz. The song now has so much more deeper meaning. Thanks for posting this trip down memory lane!

[tennentsteam]

Again, glad to have been of service. It's a great ad (even if we do say so ourselves!)

Say hi to the Aussies from us! The Tennent's Team

[cammy1971]

This is my favourite advert ever. I have been wanting somebody to upload this for ages so cheers big yin!

I love the romance of the song itself - a seemingly ordinary love song, but for a homeland (not just a country) rather than a girl.

[tennentsteam]

We're glad you love the ad so much Cammy. It has an amazing ability to rouse emotions, particularly for Scots who have moved abroad.

Yours, the Tennent's Team

[saladdodger68]

This by far one of the best adverts ever. It shows more than just a good pint, but also Scotland's growing confidence and ability to survive without London's interference.

The Scottish Ex-pat will be able to identify with video on so many levels.

[saladdodger68]

Fantastic!

[saladdodger68]

Fantastic!

I had forgotten how outstanding this advert was.

Been looking for this one for ages. Shame they didnt use this to make the video for Frankie Miller's single