Well, it’s time for the monthly banned beer ad story. You know how if goes by now – company creates ad, ad pushed limits, ad gets conservatives all riled up, ad gets banned. Old news? Yes. But there’s something about beer and sex that keeps us covering these sorts of stories. Besides, do you really want to read another, “ACME Launches Revolutionary New Interactive Ad Campaign” story? We didn’t think so. So, on with the story.
Australia’s James Boag Beer hired the late Helmut Newton to shoot an ad in which a woman holds a beer bottle the way many men like to be held and the man is about to do what most men would love to do when near a woman such as the lovely lady in this ad. Of course we know it’s just a fantasy but apparently the Royal Women’s Hospital Centre Against Sexual Assault doesn’t like to fantasize and has complained to the Advertising Standards Bureau asking the image not be used in the ad. The Centre’s spokeswoman said, “The message they’re giving is that somehow beer makes women sexually available.” Well she’s right. Beer makes everyone sexually available. If you’ve ever had a beer or two too much, you know this. Basically, the ad is getting banned because it’s being honest.
Pointing to the likelihood this was a planned strategy from the start, the brewer issued a statement in which it said there are “no plans for media placement.” Hmm. Create an ad. Get it vetted by the Standards body. Have “party pooper” groups complain. Get the ad banned. Get tons of media coverage. Call it a day. Of course there are no plans for media placement. It’s all free. Right here in this little news item and in news items all over the media. Now that’s a media strategy.
