beer
07/23/2007
Carlsberg and Mentos Don't Mix
We missed this ad when it first debuted in May, but months later it's still a viral video freshmaker. Sadly, the actual chemical reactions found in the interaction between beer and Mentos remain a mystery. But the foolishness in meddling with such dark magicks is crystal clear.
06/05/2007
The Internet Loves Beer (Commercials)
Rolling Rock tried once before to fake a scandal, so their claims that this commercial is too cool for school (or network television) have us all a little suspicious. I'll admit to chuckling around the twenty second mark -- it is COMMITTED to hitting men in the junk -- but it's nothing mindblowing or outlandish.
Meanwhile, "Swear Jar," this new spot from Bud.TV, is actually very charming and well-produced, while actually delivering on its promise of sauciness. Both of these ads are fun, but no one likes an attention whore, Rolling Rock. And Bud.TV has earned our interest.
12/18/2006
Miller Beer Peels It Off
Commercials have always been the place for visual effects wizards to try out new techniques. But in the years since the 1998 Gap ad that froze swing dancers in mid-step, we've all gotten a little blase about what a skilled artist can do with 3-D imaging. The wonder is gone, leaving us with a "hey, cool, whatever" attitude.
So if you sent this European ad for Miller beer back in a time machine to the year 1997, those primitive monkeys would be dazzled -- but they're blissfully ignorant of ten years of digital evolution. As for us advanced spacemen, this is a clever enough commercial with a great deal of charm (most of which is not found in the FX, but in the gesticulating eyebrows of its star) that nonetheless barely bothers to make a point.
Thanks to the hipster fashions and spiffy visuals, this is a great example of an ad that sells by projecting an aura of cool. It never bothers to make the obvious connection between peeling away things you don't like and peeling the labels of beer you're not really enjoying. Perhaps we're just supposed to learn that beer is cool? Not that we needed CGI to teach us that.
