Beer - Part One - The Dude Factor

Ah, beer.  For as long as I've been alive, beer companies have been battling each other for the most outlandish ad campaigns.  Even when I was too young to know why I should love beer, I always loved beer commercials because I knew I was in for something zany, funny or just plain weird.  This is still true to this day, and indeed the ads that get the most hype approaching the Super Bowl (the Olympics of advertising, in my opinion) tend to be the ones about beer.  Remember when that cantankerous lizard offed the Budweiser frogs? Yeah, of course you do. It was like a drama unto itself, having a running storyline that built up into an electrifying climax.

But enough about the past.  I mean to focus on current ads, but I will inevitably reflect on campaigns of yesteryear because, well, they shaped how I perceive commercials and instilled in me the Archetypes of Advertising.

Beer commercials have two devices they usually use to sell us their product, either a quirky character/mascot or an experience (usually having to do with mountains, nature and the like).  Part one of this discussion will be focusing on the the characters we see in today's beer commercials, and in particular one Archetype of Advertising: The Dude.

... No, not that The Dude.  Although he does meet all of the qualifications, The Dude I'm talking about doesn't always have to be rough around the edges.  Dudes are smooth, suave, engaging, the height of cool, they know the right thing to say and the right time to say it ... basically, the embodiment of the kind of guy you'd want to sit down and pound back a few brews with.   There are two Dudes active on the scene these days, both very different from each other yet somehow very much the same.

First off, The Most Interesting Man in the World, who is the current mascot-of-sorts for Dos Equis. 

With a tagline like "Stay thirsty, my friends" and an ever-increasing list of amazing feats to his name, The Most Interesting Man in the World has enjoyed great success.  Would you expect anything less?  Dos Equis is pretty good beer, too ... but if I'm going to spend a bit extra for something from south of the border, I'll take a Tecate, thank you very much.  That aside, the ads are very enjoyable.  Well put together, funny ... just plain entertaining.  I look forward to enjoying his future antics, but given how short-lived these spokespeople tend to be ... he probably won't stay the Most Interesting Man in the World forever.

And Tecate is still better beer.

TECATE RULES, BITCHES!!!

Next up we have the lovable scamp, Keith Stone, who is Dude-ing it up for Key Stone Beer. 

Like the Most Interesting Man in the World (hereafter abbreviated to MIMW, because I'm sick of typing it), Keith knows how to put the moves on the ladies. He's a bit more, shall we say, 'folksy' than MIMW and a bit less cultured, but he still has the goods and can swoop in to save the day.  It doesn't matter that he's greasy, or that the beer he represents is cheap and painful to drink ... if you have zazz, you can make anything look good.  The Keith Stone character does this and does it extremely well.     

Now ... for an example of something that isn't done quite as well.  Red Stripe Beer had a wonderful campaign running the last few years with a hilarious Jamaican Dude-type and the awesome slogan of "Hooray Beer!" (and "Hooray Responsibility!" to advocate the use of a designated driver.)  I guess people were getting tired of him, because that giggle-inducing series appears to have come to an end. 

I think it's the the same actor, but they're taking his character as the Red Stripe Ambassador in a new direction ... and I can't say I approve:

Nevermind that they've butchered a song that's already been beaten like a dead horse, but they've turned this likable beer enthusiast into an asshole.  Honestly, watch that ad and try not to shake your head and mutter "What an asshole." under your breath.  I doubt many of you can do it ... and those of you who say you can are either liars or in denial.  Just sayin'. 

There's one other company that's making use of Dude-like characters, but they're never recurring.  Still, the theme is the same. There's a single man that knows better than everyone else, he's got a sharp wit and a snappy comeback to just about everything.  Those'd be the commercials for Miller Genuine Draft 64.

They use the same formula over and over again, using a visual reference to show what 64 calories of other alcoholic beverages looks like and then a snappy/witty remark from our Dude Archetype.  These ads aren't particularly bad, but they're not exactly outstanding either.  I will say that they do a great job of showcasing the advantages of their product over others.  It's a memorable visual, and definitely one that's lingered in the back of my mind when ordering a 180 calorie beer at the bar.  For that reason alone, it's worth mentioning as an effective campaign even though MIMW and Keith Stone are much more entertaining to watch.

That about raps it up for this week! Tune in next week for part two of my exploration of the current trends in beer ads.  We'll be talking about animal mascots! Which means...

IT'S CLYDESDALE TIME!!

Because Commercials Count!

Hi!!!!! I'm Commersh Ally!  

For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by advertising -- especially on television.  As a child growing up in the 80s and 90s, I absorbed between 30,000-40,000 commercials a year (Source).  Some I still remember to this day, in many cases I remember more about the commercials I saw than the shows I was watching when I saw them.

Recently, I got to thinking about exactly why that is.  It's understandable that I'd remember more about the commercials (and the products they pitched) than whatever TV show I was watching, I most likely saw certain ads dozens or even hundreds of times... but why did some make an impression and others fade into the catacombs of my mind?  That started me thinking about what makes a good commercial and what makes a bad one.  How do some ads catch my attention and others invoke my disdain?

(*Note: My opinion on the products of those last two commercials is polarized.  Head-On has become a staple for me and I'd rather drink toilet water than crack open a Key Stone.  But this blog is meant to focus on the advertisements themselves, rather than the products being pushed.)

So, I took to the internet and did some research. Not only did I find out I'm not alone in my love for commercials, but that there was an endless number of things I felt compelled to exposit on.  So, this blog was born, and my mission along with it.

What is that mission?  Simply put: to take the ads we see on TV (and increasingly on sites like YouTube, blip.tv, Hulu and the like) and to separate the wheat from the chaff.  I want to showcase good ads and critique bad ones while exploring what works and what doesn't.  There will be several factors I will use to judge a commercial's effectiveness, but the overall gauge I will be using here is: is it entertaining.  After all, the ads I remember most were the ones I enjoyed watching... even if my amusement was because of how clueless advertisers can be.

Each post will be thematic, meaning I'll examine several commercials for a specific type of product or service like prescription drugs, beer, candy, fast food, cars, etc.  I'll post several examples of what I personally feel are good and bad ads and discuss why it is I feel that way.  Of course, any of you reading out there are absolutely welcome to chime in with your own comments and suggestions!

And the topic I'll be covering in my first post?

BEER.

Because beer is good. Beer is good. Beer is good. And stuff.