Beer Commercials and Impressions

It's undeniable that most beer commercials these days tend to stereotype the average male as one who spends the majority of his time being a dumb ass watching sports and drooling over attractive women..  When I took some time to think about what came to mind when I thought of beer commercials, two things stood out more than anything: sports and food.  More often that not, you can expect to see a group of guys sitting around the TV, snacks a plenty, celebrating a touchdown or home run together.  Take for example this Bud Light ad below.

It, just like most other beer ads, depicts a largely male group standing around a tailgate stuffing their faces with food and drinking light beer.  While I can't relate very well to this ad since I don't watch a lot of sports, I can see the appeal in what looks to be a fun celebration with friends an attractive girl laying it all out.  However, there is nothing in this ad that resonates.  After watching this ad I forgot about it almost immediately.  Enough so that I had to re-watch it in order to write this blog post.  Now keep this Bud Light ad in mind and check out this new advertisement from Guinness that will warm your heart.

There's no denying the fact that this advertisement had an incredibly inspiring, heart-warming message. While it does involve sports, it sends a message that men are defined not only by their physical ability but their kind heartedness and character.  By ending the advertisement with "The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character," Guinness has left the viewer thinking: how have I defined myself? What do my decisions contribute to my image? By putting a strong message in my head and forcing me to think about my actions/choices, Guinness has succeeded in it's advertising goal.  I think it's safe to say that after watching this commercial, I will automatically relate the Guinness brand to being representative of a strong male character.  I think Guinness is at the forefront of starting a new trend in advertising that seeks out a deep emotional appeal.