1664’s Robert Pattinson play signals a bold new chapter in beer marketing
With Robert Pattinson front and center, 1664 is chasing a new cultural narrative around beer and good taste
Beer brand 1664 is making a cinematic pivot, and it’s bringing Robert Pattinson along for the ride. The French lager just announced the actor as its new global ambassador, with a visually ambitious campaign on the way in 2026.
Directed by Brady Corbet, known for arthouse films like The Brutalist, the campaign promises to reframe how audiences perceive “good taste,” leveraging 1664’s Parisian roots while tapping into modern culture’s obsession with aesthetics, art, and elevated experiences.
This article explores what the collaboration means for marketers and why it’s more than just a celebrity endorsement.
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Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- What happened: 1664 taps Robert Pattinson for global campaign
- Why it matters: a lifestyle pivot wrapped in cinematic storytelling
- What marketers should know: premium positioning, cultural cachet, and more
Patrecia Meliana
1664 taps Robert Pattinson for global campaign
1664 has named actor Robert Pattinson its global brand ambassador in the lead-up to a 2026 worldwide campaign. The collaboration will be brought to life through a film by director Brady Corbet, whose most recent work earned 10 Academy Award nominations.
Positioned as a creative exploration of “good taste,” the campaign aims to blend 1664’s French heritage with a cinematic edge. The brand described the Pattinson-Corbet pairing as an “audacious creative leap,” one that injects the beer’s identity with a fresh mix of refinement and unpredictability.
Nikola Maravic, Global Marketing Director at 1664, said the move signals the brand’s ambition to push beer into the premium lifestyle space, using storytelling and cultural commentary rather than traditional product advertising.
“This is only the first sip,” he added, hinting at more creative rollouts to come.
Why it matters
This isn't just another celeb-fronted ad. Pattinson’s involvement, combined with Corbet’s stylized direction, suggests that 1664 is investing in long-form storytelling and symbolic branding that speaks to cultural insiders. It mirrors recent efforts by brands like Grey Goose, whose “Grey Goose hôtel” campaign featured Oscar-winner Zoe Saldaña and leaned into short-film storytelling and modern French indulgence.
It’s also a response to evolving expectations in premium alcohol branding. Younger and more brand-savvy drinkers increasingly view beer not just as a beverage but as a lifestyle marker. With this campaign, 1664 is trying to meet that moment by aligning its identity with cinema, fashion, and artistic taste.
What marketers should know
Marketers in lifestyle, FMCG, and luxury spaces should take note. This kind of brand-ambassador deal represents more than star power. It’s a repositioning play, executed with cultural precision.
1. Premium cues are shifting from price to perception
By moving into cinematic storytelling and enlisting figures like Pattinson, 1664 is signaling that cultural relevance, not just taste or price, is the new premium. Marketers can take inspiration from this approach by investing in narratives that elevate the brand into lifestyle territory.
2. Long-form storytelling is back in fashion
Corbet’s involvement hints that 1664 is not aiming for short-form snackable content, but rather immersive filmic storytelling. This aligns with a growing trend where luxury and lifestyle brands use branded films to deliver emotion and identity rather than direct CTAs.
3. Ambassadors as cultural filters, not just spokespeople
Pattinson’s reputation for selective, artistically ambitious projects helps frame 1664 as thoughtful and expressive rather than mass-market. Marketers should think beyond reach and look for ambassadors who can actually shape perception through cultural association.
4. Beer is moving from casual to curated
This campaign is a signal that 1664 no longer wants to compete on traditional beer terms. Instead, it wants to play in the world of taste, aesthetics, and storytelling. That territory is more familiar to fashion, wine, or boutique spirits brands than to beer.
With this campaign, 1664 isn’t just selling a beverage. It’s staking a claim in the cultural conversation around taste and lifestyle. By fusing arthouse cinema with global star power, the brand is betting on emotion, narrative, and aesthetics as key growth drivers.
For marketers, the takeaway is clear. Creative risk, when done with cultural fluency, can elevate a commodity brand into something aspirational.
