Alcohol Advertisements Edited into Star Wars, Scenes From Original Films Changed

If you thought you’d seen the worst of product placement, think again — fans have uncovered a version of the original Star Wars trilogy where beer advertisements are edited directly into the films.

A video circulating X (formerly known as Twitter) shows edits made to the first Star Wars film for audiences in Chile, where an ad for Cerveza Cristal is added into key scenes of Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983).

Around 2003 in Chile, when the original trilogy of Star Wars began airing on television there, they did this funny thing to avoid cutting to commercial breaks. They stitched the commercials into the films themselves. Here is one of them, with the English dub added in.

Around 2003 in Chile, when the original trilogy of Star Wars began airing on television there, they did this funny thing to avoid cutting to commercial breaks. They stitched the commercials into the films themselves. Here is one of them, with the English dub added in. pic.twitter.com/wC7N2vPNvv

— Windy 🛸 (@heyitswindy) March 2, 2024

Related: After 45 Years, Cast Breaks Silence on ‘Star Wars’ Scandal

For example, in the famous scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) tells Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) about his father and the Jedi, Obi-Wan casually reaches into a cooler to crack open a cold pilsner mid-chat (complete with the brand’s jingle).

Other examples include Obi-Wan happening upon a beer while infiltrating the Death Star, and – most iconically – Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) summoning a beer into his hand after Darth Vader brings Luke to him in Return of the Jedi.

I’d never heard of it, and it’s fantastic.

Above all, it explains how Palpatine somehow survived: with Cerveza Cristal.

I'd never heard of it, and it's fantastic.

Above all, it explains how Palpatine somehow survived: with Cerveza Cristal. https://t.co/JtNd4jOE3e pic.twitter.com/kuX3Cn0Ls8

— The Spaceshipper 🚀 (@TheSpaceshipper) March 3, 2024

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you feel about this), the films don’t run with these ads anymore. However, they were reportedly extremely well received during their run, with The Guardian claiming that OMD Santiago – the agency responsible for integrating ads into the films – won the top award at the Cannes International Advertising Festival in 2004 for their efforts.

Related: Multiple Changes Made to Original ‘Star Wars’ Movies on Disney+

Cerveza Cristal was allegedly also edited into multiple other big films. Judges at the Cannes International Advertising Festival dubbed their campaign “genius.” Of course, the real genius is that this campaign still has longevity today. Fans have spent the last few days editing their own Cerveza Cristal Star Wars memes, giving the beer brand another healthy amount of free advertising two decades later.

Let us know your thoughts on the Cerveza Cristal version of the original Star Wars trilogy in the comments below!

This post Alcohol Advertisements Edited into Star Wars, Scenes From Original Films Changed appeared first on Inside the Magic.