World’s most expensive hand model confirmed

David Beckham’s recent knack for self-awareness has taken an even humbler twist as his collaboration with Stella Artois depicts only the ex-Manchester United star’s hand.

The Belgian beer brand's latest outdoor campaign, titled ‘Worth More’, prominently features Beckham—albeit in a unique manner, with images focusing solely on his distinctive tattooed hands, a deliberate choice to divert attention from his iconic visage.

Crafted by ad agency Gut, the campaign effectively highlights Stella Artois, a product owned by AB InBev, by making it the star of the show.

This initiative marks the beginning of a year-long strategy, slated to run across various regions including the US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, and South Africa.

Our take

Leaked photos of David Beckham from the set of Stella’s latest campaign teased a more prominent appearance. However, while the angle Stella have taken might disappoint fans of his famously chiselled bonce, the advert plays to the brand’s understated style.

Last month, we covered Stella’s witty and relatable ‘Steal Artois’ campaign, and nodded to some of its past glories. The recent ad is a departure, in many ways, stylistically, but sticks to a few of the mainstays: sly wit, crisp visuals, a sense of style and an emphasis on the product’s prestige.

The deliberately cultivated sense of mystery in the image, causes the viewer to think twice: ‘they wouldn’t do that, would they?’ before indulging in a bit of self-congratulation for identifying the person in question. This technique – of getting the viewer to solve a small puzzle – is demonstrated in iconic creative work including Milton Glaser’s I HEART NY logo, which ignites a mini dopamine rush as each letter and symbol is translated.

Brand Beckham, then, is aging as well as the star himself.