W+K London introduces Icelandic yogurt brand Arla Skyr to the UK with the 90-second spot “The Messenger.”
The titular character is a young boy who delivered messages from the only telephone of a small Icelandic town in 1968. “Many say that the boy’s efficiency is the reason the town had only one telephone until 1978” the narrator explains. Blink and you’ll miss the first nod to the product the spot is promoting around the 40 second mark, as the boy takes a quick break for a bowl of yogurt before running off again. Near the end of the spot, the agency finally ties things together when the narrator says, “However far he went, he was never far from a bowl of skyr…and that’s just as true today,” as the next shot shows the boy as a middle aged man.
The spot’s whimsical narrative, dry humor and pastel color palette vaguely recall Wes Anderson, and while it takes its time getting around to introducing the brand, the prolonged introduction serves to reinforce the brand as “Iceland’s yogurt,” which is a large part of what makes it unique. “The Messenger” does a lot to build a charming portrait of Icelandic perseverance, one W+K hopes will stick with people when they’re in the grocery aisle.