Lager advertising was my route into all this. Between the ages of 18 and 22 the ads for Carling and Heineken made me want a career in advertising, and a decade later it was working on the ads for Stella Artois (back when when both the ads and the beer were good) and Heineken that lit my beer passion.
But I’ve never seen a campaign like this one for VB (sorry, embedding is disabled).
It’s discussed here by advertising online magazine Contagious, who show how it’s being elaborated with a website where people can send their own contributions, and encourages donations to the cause (I don’t want to give away the subject till you’ve actually watched it). The magazine also asks if the campaign is in good taste – it’s bound to attract controversy.
Part of me wants to be angry that big advertisers are trivialising something huge and emotive in order to sell beer. But my beer head tells me that’s wrong – this ad is all about beer, the beer moment, what beer means and what it’s for. No other drink (apart from, possibly, whisky) could even consider pulling this off, but it doesn’t feel false – it feels entirely appropriate.
And anyway, rational debate didn’t actually get a look in – this is the first beer ad that’s ever made me cry.
That’s really rather nice. Watching it didn’t ram VB at me, and the logo at the end didn’t dominate. It could be any beer you raise in remembrance I guess, and maybe that’s the real point.
It is indeed a nice sentiment, but rather than it being an ad for a particular beer, I (like Adeptus) got the impression that it is in fact an awareness campaign to support veterans which is supported by VB.
There’s some text at the end, directing the viewer to the website http://raiseaglass.com.au/ where you’ll find out more about their campaign.
I have no connection with the organisation, by the way, just happened in my beer-blog tour to come across your post!
Yup, it’s sound and it resonates. And it did bring a tear (just one fat one).
Worthwhile? YES. Human? YES. Delivered with Compassion? YES. Straddling on the the wrong side side of perceived corporate social responsibility? PROBABLY
I think it was fairly sensitive… not done in an exploitative way at all! I agree with Adeptus and Brian; it reads like more of an awareness campaign than an out-and-out beer ad.
Reminds me of that music video by the Avalanches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfAuFAgHpzc