IRN BRU Snowman Flies Over Scotland

Barr Soft Drinks has launched the first Christmas-focused television campaign for the Scottish soft drink, IRN BRU. The 60 second animation, “Phenomenal Christmas’, plays with Raymond Brigg’s original story, “The Snowman”.

Boy and Snowman in IRN BRU TV advert

The IRN BRU Snowman clip begins with the boy decorating the snowman in his back yard. As the boy takes a swig from his can of IRN BRU the snowman turns around, grabs his hand and leaps into the air. Together they fly over Scotland, looking at the Falkirk Wheel, the Forth Bridge, Glasgow’s Buchanan St, the Princes St Gardens Ice Rink, the Loch Ness monster, a red deer, the Glenfinnan viaduct, Eilean Donan Castle, and Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. When the boy refuses to share his IRN BRU with the snowman he’s dropped off in George Square in Glasgow. The snowman flies off drinking the IRN BRU, discarding his carrot nose. George Square is lit up with the tagline, “Have a Phenomenal Christmas”. The ad finishes with a link to itsphenomenal.co.uk Click on the image below to play the video.

Walking in the Air

As in the original Snowman film dialogue is replaced by a simple song sung by Ben Robinson, choirboy at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh.

We’re walking in the air
I’m sipping on an IRN-BRU
My chilly snowman mate said
that he would like some too
I tell him, get your own
He looks like he is going to cry
I tell him once again that the IRN-BRU is mine
Now I’m falling through the air
I wonder where I’m going to land
He nicked my IRN-BRU and let go of my hand.

Boy and Snowman in IRN BRU TV advert
Boy and Snowman in IRN BRU TV advert

Allan Brown At Large in the Times Online writes on the background to the IRN BRU Snowman ad. Craig Brown, writing for The Scotsman, writes about protests from health campaigners concerned that the IRN BRU Snowman campaign will attract young children to the drink. Leith respond by saying that the ad is being slotted for evening programs and is aimed at a teenage/young adult audience.

Credits

The IRN BRU ‘Phenomenal’ campaign was developed by Edinburgh advertising agency, The Leith Agency by Gerry Farrell, Michael Kinlan and Mark Davies.

Animation at Sherbet, London, was directed by Robin Shaw and produced by Jayne Bevitt. Audio post production was done at Candle, London.

Original Lyrics for “I’m Walking In The Air”

We’re walking in the air
We’re floating in the moonlit sky
The people far below are sleeping as we fly

I’m holding very tight
I’m riding in the midnight blue
I’m finding I can fly so high above with you

Far across the world
The villages go by like dreams
The rivers and the hills
The forests and the streams
Children gaze open mouth
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their eyes

We’re surfing in the air
We’re swimming in the frozen sky
We’re drifting over icy
Mountain floating by

Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep

We’re walking in the air
We’re floating in the midnight sky
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

Raymond Briggs published “The Snowman” in 1978. Filming for the 1982 film, “The Snowman” was directed by Dianne Jackson for Channel 4’s TVC. The soundtrack was written by Howard Blake.

The song on the original film was sung by Peter Auty, senior chorister with St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Aled Jones sang the song on the re-released version. David Bowie provided a narrative in the re-released version.

Rights to The Snowman are held by Snowman Enterprises.

32 Replies to “IRN BRU Snowman Flies Over Scotland”

  1. as a ten year old, watching this advert made me very upset because it is a beautiful song and film and you took the mickey out of it and turned it into a nasty song! you spoiled this song for me and many other people!

  2. great clip, christmas is about having fun and myself and my 8 year old daughter have had a good giggle at the add. brill idea showing unique areas of scotand. well done .K (33) Glasgow

  3. i like this very much i can sing all the song in tune and at the pitch of the singer if you like to contact me just reply to this message
    bad babe xxxxxx

  4. really cool,

    especialy the song,
    i luvd the video clip 2,

    1 of the best adverts eva,
    adverts r allways boaring and make u fall asleep,
    but not this 1
    xxx
    luv ya n leave ya.
    xxx

  5. My 13 year daughter would like to have the piano notes for “Walking in the Air” music.
    We live in Finland. Where could I get the notes ?

  6. You’ll find the notes for “Walking in the air” at Sheetplaza.
    Just look for “Nightwish Walking in the air”
    there is a zip folder with some jpg pictures, just extract them with your winzip or winrar to your desktop!
    enjoy! ^^

  7. LOVE THIS ADVERT … as soon as i first saw this 5 mins ago i searched the net to watch it again .. All 13z year old out there must luv this as much as i do xxxxxxx

  8. We’re walking in the air
    I’m sipping on an IRN-BRU
    He nicked my IRN-BRU and let go of my hand.
    our version
    this is the best advert ever and we sing it around school we all love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    the teacher hate us we never stop singing it.
    its best ever

  9. I love that advert, it’s so funny and when I’m down I think of it and it makes me smile. I’m 33 on Boxing Day and I still love the Snowman, but I like advert even more.

  10. I first heard this song about 25 years ago and i cried when i watched the film with my children. I’m now going about practicing the irn bru advert when no ones in! Learned the words here, it certainly cheers me up on a dreary day!

    p.s. age 54 I’m luvin it 🙂

  11. This is a good idea to do it i am 11 years old and i went to skool and we were haveing music and we were singing the actual thing(walking ib the air) and this guy named charlie rose started crying because his dad died and that song put him in tears but a ***/3 ace

  12. This one is betta than the original one

    well bette i liked the bit were he says ” he nicked my irn bru and let go of my hand” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 🙂 😀

  13. Im a 13 year old boy and im luvin dis song like its well good i kin like sing aw the right wurds nd that pure heavy metal . really want tae be a singa sum day like this dude jsut contact me and i will like pit ma tunes on ma pod nd let ye hear it m8. this hus well pit me in a xmassssy mood yas love all u wee chaps commentin hehehehe night catch god bless xxx x xxxxx xx

  14. eh yer actually wantin tae slag this tune btw its actully aload ae crap. i canny sit nd listen tae this wen am wae the drumchaple young team i ma gaff boozin on the bucky. like seriously needin ae delete this advert fae the telly. eh aye so get it aff n catch yeees aw gimps

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