The world of internet memes often takes very bizarre and unexpected turns. Sometimes, things that go down the memory hole are brought back up and become a fascination for a new generation. One of the latest popular memes is the Star Wars Cerveza Crystal beer ads from the early 2000s. Let’s take a look back at one of the most bizarre ad campaigns that you probably have never heard of before.

In 2003 and 2004, in the South American country of Chile, the television network Canal 13 aired the original Star Wars trilogy on television for the first time. The Chilean beer brand Cerveza Crystal made a deal to advertise during the broadcasts, but their approach was something that hadn’t been seen before.

They devised an advertising campaign titled “The Force is with Crystal Beer.” To avoid commercial breaks, they would instead film sequences that could be edited into the film to show a character reaching for a beer. This would happen multiple times throughout the three films.

George Lucas later found out about unconventional advertisements and, in 2004, filed a complaint with the Chilean Council for Self-Regulation and Advertising Ethics. The brand was ordered to cease all future broadcasts featured in Star Wars, but they would continue to advertise in other films such as Gladiator and American Beauty. 

It should be noted that there was another bizarre Star Wars beer commercial with the Maltese beer brand Cusqueña in 1997.

This odd part of Star Wars history was forgotten up until recently when a few users on X/Twitter began posting videos of the ads, leading them to go viral and gaining millions of views.

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

This has since become a new meme in recent weeks, with people editing Cerveza Crystal for other movies and shows such as Lord of the Rings and Dune. 

Caught the first DUNE on Chilean TV the other night, can't believe they're still at it https://t.co/i5nl05GCcs pic.twitter.com/TomhKMAhfj

— Owain Anderson (@owainanderson) March 4, 2024

The meme has gained so much attention that it was even referenced on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

It has since been recognized as one of the most bizarre ad campaigns in history. Imagine something like that happening today, watching Spider-Man: No Way Home on FX, and then suddenly, you see Doctor Strange magically sipping a Pepsi. Some would call that annoying, while others would call that comedy gold.

What do you think? Is this a hilarious and innovative way to advertise? Or did they go a little too far? And what do you think of all of the funny edits people are making online? Let us know.