Carling Black Label brings back its iconic squirrel ad

To launch the new era of Carling Black Label, the brand has recreated its legendary, award-winning 1990 squirrel advert, in response to fan demand to bring back one of British advertising’s most beloved cult characters.

Recreated with the help of original Carling Black Label actor and comedian Stephen Frost, the new content sees chaotic new furry hero “Skige” tackle a rebuilt obstacle course packed with twists, turns and total mayhem - in a nostalgic celebration of one of the UK’s most beloved adverts.

The revival comes as new research reveals Britain is deep in a 90s nostalgia wave, with more than half of Brits wanting iconic adverts from the decade to return, alongside MTV music videos, video rental stores and life without smartphones.

Carling is cranking the nostalgia dial all the way up with the explosive return of a true British icon: Carling Black Label.

And what better way to celebrate than by reviving one of the nation’s most unforgettable ads?

Enter Skige: Carling’s chaotic new furry hero. In a remake of the iconic original, the squirrel takes the wheel in a revised obstacle course packed with twists, turns and total mayhem. The course took more than 100 hours to build from scratch and three weeks of training by Skige in preparation for the remake with squirrel handler Trevor Smith, the same handler from the original 1990 advert.

With trademark determination and a little mischief, the fearless squirrel delivers a high-octane performance for a new generation - while staying true to the spirit that made the original a cultural phenomenon.

Adding another hit of nostalgia, comedian Stephen Frost - recognisable from the original Carling Black Label campaigns of the 90s - returns to reprise his role as the unmistakable voice of the brand.

Stephen Frost said: “I was around for the original, so it’s been a real trip down memory lane working with Carling Black Label again. It’s great to revisit such an iconic campaign and to be involved in something that still has so much energy and personality today, but for a new generation of drinkers.”

To further celebrate this iconic launch, Carling commissioned research revealing the 25 things Brits would most like to bring back from the 1990s - including MTV music videos, free toys in cereal boxes and leaving the house without a phone.

Nearly one in five (17%) would reinstate going to the video store to rent a film, while 63% yearn for classic Saturday morning TV shows such as Live & Kicking, CD:UK and SMTV Live.

More than half (55%) would love to return to the days of leaving the house without a phone as the norm, so long as everyone else was doing it too. A further 30% would enjoy reviving slang words and phrases from the decade, such as ‘whatever’ and ‘talk to the hand’.

The research also found it’s not just those who lived through the 1990s, with four in 10 Gen Z claiming to have good knowledge of the 1990s, despite being born on the cusp of the 2000s.

More than three in 10 (31%) even referred to it as a significant decade due to it being a simpler time, suggesting a rise in ‘fauxstalgia’ – nostalgia for a time they didn’t personally experience.

Social media also heightens memories, as 70% of Millennials said seeing the content makes them want to go back to the time, followed by 62% of Gen Z.

Music was the most nostalgic element about the decade, followed by the concept of life before smartphones, social media and its television shows.

Fashion (26%) and games and toys (22%) also featured on the list, along with the adverts (17%), according to the OnePoll figures. As a result, 36% enjoy it when brands recreate old styles, products or advertisements - when done right.

More than half (51%) liked the idea of adverts from the 1990s being recreated, with 37% of Millennials finding them fun, compared to 32% of Gen Z and 20% of Boomers.

When it comes to the best parts of retro adverts, 43% said humour was the most important part, but having a memorable soundtrack also ranked highly (34%).