Guinness - Surfer (1999, UK)

The full, extended version of one of the most acclaimed British ads ever made, now remastered from a 540p copy. Directed by Jonathan Glazer at Academy Films with VFX by Framestore, known at the time as The Computer Film Company. Starring Louis Mellis and world champion surfer Rusty K.
SOUNDTRACK: Leftfield - Phat Planet

[harrybaker]

I remember this being voted the best advert of all time in some kind of survey in the UK around the early/mid 00s. As a teenager, I thought it was a really boring choice and didn't understand the appeal. Now, with 20 years more life experience under my belt and a greater appreciation for art, now I get it. Now I understand.

[sandyb]

Best ad ever - Where has all the imagination gone from commercials, nowadays? This advert makes one WANT to sit up & watch it all the way through, not fast forward! The whole point isn't it... Make us all watch what they are selling...
Love, Love, Love it!

[abunchofstuff]

Greatest commercial ever and no surprises since it's directed by Jonathan Glazer who went on to make the masterpiece Under the Skin. The advert has such diverse elements of poetry, visuals and music, that one wouldn't imagine working together, yet somehow Jonathan seemlessley interconnected them perfectly.

[gibboanx]

Quite simply, the greatest Ad of all time. Don Draper would be proud.

[akamiguelsanchez]

Advertising in the late 90s and early 00s was high art.

[derrickllewellyn]

Still a great ad 22 years on and belated thanks for introducing Leftfield to the world

[pravinshingadia]

When adverts sometimes used to be better than the programs. You know it’s a great advert when your still remember it 30 years on.

[ferrarigiggs]

Sound track for ad brought me back like 10 years later. A beat that can never be forgotten.

[rottingrearcommunications]

The aged surfer, waiting his whole life for the perfect wave. Surfing, living, waiting. And finally it comes, the unfathomable power of nature takes on, in his mind, the unbridled freedom of wild horses, loose and unhinged, and indescribably beautiful.

[Cinti]

Cannot stop watching it. The top magnificent piece among ads.

[sandynathan]

I remember being 16 and body boarding an 8ft wave. This advert was in my mind, it felt like a bloody tsunami but what a feeling. Best advert ever!

[StephPNE]

Nobody will ever create an advert more powerful than this one.

[Benratbag]

I’m a Guinness lover and this wasn’t just any advert, it was Art that defined the 90s and Guinness itself 🖤

[TrueGaming.]

I remember there not being a single mention of this advert in the guniess factory/museum in Dublin.

[FromtheHerts]

I’m not a surfer but I read a lot and I love horses. That’s what makes this advertisement special. Who can deny what magnificent beauty those people animals have watching this, or think of the old legends of seeing horse’s heads in the waves?

[SkinnyEMedia]

This is arguably the most blokey, masculine ad ever made! Here's to Ireland- the land of fine alcohols!

[oldskoolrave]

Here after watching Zone of Interest - a recent Jonathan Glazer materpiece . Remember this ad well from back in the 90s - same intensity and incredible cinematography

[Pigfoot]

I'm at home with COVID and I put this ad on again. It's the only thing that's made me actually feel alive.
Incredible stuff that sends a shiver right through me.

[slatecat]

The time will return for this splendid type of advertising creation 🙏

[priyeshpv]

They used a unique compositing system (besides Quantel`s Domino) which was developed in house. It used separate computers for each color and therefore had separate hard drives. It happened sometimes, that one of the drives was from a different job and therefor showed a strange mix of images. Unbelievable what they achieved with such rudimentary and limited technology back then...