New lease of life for Doncaster rocker as classic track used on new Pringles ad
Doncaster rock star John Parr has seen his classic 1980s track St Elmo’s Fire given a new lease of life – as the soundtrack to a new advert for Pringles.
The 1985 chart smash forms the backing to a new ad featuring acrobatic window cleaners in a gravity-defying adventure.
You can watch the advert HERE
The 'Pass the Pringles' campaign has been rolled out across Europe, encouaging people to share the popular snack.
The clip follows two acrobatic window cleaners who go to extraordinary lengths to pass a tube of Pringles while suspended halfway up a skyscraper.
As they swing playfully across the building, office workers inside look on in surprise, while the iconic track powers the action.
The campaign has been launched in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland and will be followed by Belgium, Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria.
Paul Humphries, chief marketing officer at Pringles, “The new campaign is built on a clear and highly relevant insight: as we get caught up in the demands of modern life, we too often let opportunities for connection with other people pass us by.
"We’re encouraging people to break the cycle and ‘Pass the Pringles’ sparking a moment of playful connection.”
It is not the first time St Elmo’s Fire has been used on an advert.
In 2023, a hang gliding goat has helped propel the singer back to the charts after nearly 40 years.
The ad for Virgin Media featured the Sykehouse singer’s rock smash, soundtracking the clip which showed the aforementioned animal soaring through the skies strapped to a glider.
Increased interest in the song coupled with thousands of streams and downloads helped the song return to the UK charts.
Reacting to the news at the time the singer wrote on social media: “Great to see ‘St Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)’ back in the official charts after 38 years.
“After being a number one hit around the world in the 80s, “Man In Motion” is finding a brand new young audience.
“I love that goat song mummy,” which is fantastic! A 38 year old song, is still a “new” song to someone who has never heard it!”
From the 1985 film St. Elmo's Fire, the song hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in September 1985, remaining there for two weeks.
The record peaked at number six in the United Kingdom and was a global smash, winning many awards and a Grammy nomination.
The song was inspirted by Canadian athlete Rick Hansen, who at the time was going around the world in his wheelchair to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries. His journey was called the "Man in Motion Tour".