Misleading Marketing

I know I’m about to make enemies out of a large swath of people who are prone to violence, but I have to voice (type) a criticism of Guinness. More accurately, my critique is of the advertisers responsible for their Black Lager ad campaign, but I assume that someone at Guinness HQ maintains some degree of responsibility for their commercials.

Cool lookin' bottle though

Here’s my problem. Their commercial leads with the question, “What happens when a beer tastes both refreshing and flavorful?” As a fan of good crafty beer, this question is preposterous because the two are not mutually exclusive. I suppose that if I drank corn-based fizzy yellow industrial swill (Budweiser, Miller or Coors for example), perhaps I would be enamored with the premise of beer that actually tastes good and was refreshing as well. My problem stems from the fact that I have taken the red pill, and I have woken up in a world where beer is better and people are happier. In my world, all the beer I drink tastes amazing and is refreshing too.

So clearly this commercial is not aimed at me. No other conclusion to draw here. Guinness finds itself at a crossroads in the beer market, as their primary consumers are more sophisticated than AB/InBev or MillerCoors drinkers, but are not quite to the level of enlightenment of craft beer drinkers. I think that most Guinness drinkers would be able to find a delicious crafty equivalent to their treasured Irish dry stout if they weren’t so loyal to their label. But as I happen to like Guinness, I’m in no hurry to convert them.

Perhaps we crafty-minded beer lovers need to use this slogan instead of rebuffing it. After all, what better way to save beer drinkers from the doldrums of boring (and gross) yellow beer than by selling them that beer can be both refreshing and flavorful? Then instead of showing them a bottle of Guinness Black Lager, show them a lineup of delicious craftiness and let them speak for themselves.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!