Weekend Watch: 'Two men and a beer' – Haywards' journey

Haywards 5000 has created a series of short documentary format films featuring Benjamin Hayward, the great-grandson of Sir Anthony Hayward, the beer brand's founder from whom it gets its name. 

 

It began with the junior Hayward writing to SABMiller India (parent company of Haywards) requesting an internship, after watching a documentary on TV. The company used this opportunity to get Hayward himself to trace the history and legacy of the brand and its founders, through the videos titled ‘Two Men and a Beer’, conceptualised by Happy Creative Services.

 

The series made its debut on TVF Play, followed by a release on social media. 
 

Hayward said, ‘’I am delighted to learn that Haywards is one of India’s most reputed beer brands. As I spent time understanding tracing my family’s journey, I felt very proud of my legacy. I am thrilled to bring this story to you. It was such a fantastic experience to travel around India exploring the heritage of the Haywards 5000 brand. The journey gave me an appreciation for the sheer size of both the country and scope of the brand; and I particularly enjoyed meeting the many people that brew, distribute and enjoy the beer on a daily basis. It was a really special trip that enabled me to see, first hand, the legacy that my great grandfather has left in a country he loved so much"

 

Kartik Iyer, co-founder and chief executive officer, Happy Creative Services, said, “There is nothing more powerful and inspiring than a true story. When we heard that Ben Hayward saw a BBC documentary about the iconic Indian beer Haywards 5000 sitting in Birmingham and realised it was started by his grandfather, it actually prompted him to apply for an internship at SAB MIller - the parent company in India. We knew right then it was a fabulous opportunity to document Ben's journey to trace the actual roots of the brand and his family. It’s not everyday such things happen. This journey goes beyond an advertising idea or a content opportunity. It is the true story of a great Indian beer, its founder and the family pride of a young man from England. 'Two Men and a Beer' is easily one of the most exciting projects we have worked on as an agency. It has history, transcends geography and gave us the opportunity to create visual literature. It is a story that deserves to be told, so it can live on forever."