Watch how director Nicolas Ménard and the Nexus crew teamed with model master Andy Gent to craft an obsessively detailed stop-motion journey through the 90-year history of Corona Beer and Mexico.

Starring and narrated by actor Gael Garcia Bernal and inspired by the work of Mexican artist Pedro Friedeberg, the spot features eight sets, 71 characters (modeled in 3D, then 3D-printed and hand-painted), plus 350 individually cast miniature Corona bottles filled with agave syrup.

Director Nicolas Ménard: “Stop-motion just seemed to be the natural fit for the brief. It allowed us to add a cinematic layer through lightning and texture to each chapter of Corona’s history.

“Stylistically, it also meant we could reference Pedro’s work not only in painting but also in sculpture. It was a lot of fun to boil down these complex events into compact sets; seeing them come to life thanks to Andy Gent’s team of model makers was a special treat.”
 
Watch the finshed spot:

 

Client: Corona, Mexico

Agency: Observatory Marketing
Co-Chief Creative Officer: Todd Hunter
Creative Directors: Jessica Hundley, Nicole McDonald
Head of Production: Chris Totushek
Producer: Lula Fotis

Production: Nexus Studios
ECD / Co-Founder: Chris O’Reilly
Director: Nicolas Ménard
Executive Producer: Luisa Murray
Producer: Jo Bierton
Production Manager: Rebecca Archer
Lead / Supervisor: Nico Domerego
Art Director: Jack Cunningham
Character Design: James Graham
Graphic Design: Cecilia Serafini
Design: Jamie Jones & Sarah Deane
Environment Design: Callum Strachan & Antoine Perez
Character Modellers: Andy Hickinbottom & Matt Clark
3D Generalists: Heloise Courtois, Victori Jalabert, Maxime Dartois, Zach Pindolia, Jerémie Cottard, Chloe Plat
2D Animation: Isaac Holland & Duncan Gist

Director of Photography: Malcolm Hadley
Camera Assistant: Mark Swaffield
Gaffer: Tim O’connell
Moco: Stuart Galloway
Rigging: Justin Pentecost
Spark: Max Milner
Strike Spark: Daniel Ansell

Puppet and Set Fabrication: Andy Gent
Art Department: Marina Ralph, Mick Chippington, Josie Corben, Magda Madra, Sofia Serrano, Mark Fisher, Vaida Klimaviciute, Claudia Brignalezi, Angela Pang, Louise Pratt, Andrew Saunders, Tom James, Gavin Richards, Claire Middleton, Claudia Brugnaletti, Jade Gerrard, Clea Raguideau, Angela Chorlton, Roy Bell, Annick Bosson, Beth Quinton, Fiona Stewart, Grant Humberstone, Ola Kucharska, Michael Nowacki, Mitch Barnes, Colin Armitage, Duncan Mude

Practical Lighting: Gary Welch
Runner: Chiara De Propis
Stop Frame Lead Animator: Tobias Fouracre
Stop Frame Animators: Matthew Cooper & Max Martin
BTS Cameraman: Thomas Heleta & Mark Van Heusden
BTS Photographer: Jacob Robinson
First Aid: Darren Boyling

Post Production: Freefolk
Lead Flame Artist: Steve Murgatroyd
Flame Artists: Brandon Danowski, Andy Copping
Nuke Artist: Rob Sheridan
Colorist: Duncan Russell
Post Producer: Laura Ricketts

Editor: David Slade
BTS Editor: Thomas Heleta, Michael Rohrbaugh
Assistant Editor: Bruno Collins

Music: Bridget Samuels
Sound Design/Mix: Barking Owl