Guinness is a megabrand, known globably much as Coca-Cola. I wear rugby shirts emblazoned with their logo and at the same time care nothing for the sport itself. I have worked at a Guinness Liscenced Irish pub for the sheer reason that I believed it had to be better than any other bar in the city. I have taken my love for Guinness to extreme highs. Bartending in the "perfect pint" competition at the Wrigley mansion in front of Diageo (the company that owns Guinness) executives and distributors. The next stop on my agenda is to visit the original brewery in Dublin, Ireland. The funny thing is, there are plenty of other great beers out there. Why am I so in love with Guinness beer?
My first sip of Guinness beer was a very short lived one. I was a young lad, in my "partying" prime, a time in my life that's all pretty much a blur of Bud Light and "experimentation". I remember thinking to myself how much of a man it takes to drink a Guinness. It's crude oil appearance was daunting and it's legend struck fear into my youthful, inexperienced palate. But, what the hell, I'd try anything once, after all, I'm part Irish! I cracked the can and without hesitation proceeded to chug, as soon as my overstimulated taste buds picked up on the flavor my upchuck reflex kicked in. Call me a glutton for punishment, but I was hooked. I would not let this beer defeat me.
Personally I have been "lovemarked" by the company for a few different reasons. Perhaps the single greatest reason that ties me to Guinness is in it's Irish heritage; must like my own. In advertising, Guinness and the Irish flag are often coupled, which speaks to folks of Irish decent on an ethnocentric level: saying Irish is better, YOU are Irish, YOU are better and drinking Guinness shows that. Being an American, Guinness by way of my Irish heritage gives me a sense of belonging to a particular place and ethnicity; it links me to my forefathers. Much like the pride and devotion I have for the Fresno State Bulldogs, which is rooted in the fact that I grew up in the Fresno area, Guinness takes me back generations. These are my people, this is my beer!
Guinness says one is intelligent, sexy, proud and it makes you feel alive inside. At least, that's what their advertising would have you believe. In the last 10 years Guinness has came across the pond and taken America by storm; picking up major advertising spots with ESPN and tons of major televised events. Their first famous advertising campaign slogan "Guinness is Good For You" started in the early 1920's and was banned decades ago. Recent studies have shown that the product actually does the same as a low dose aspirin in the fight against heart attack. In present time the company has recognized that young Americans are a huge market that is straying away from the fizzy yellow beer drank by their fathers and grandfathers.
This is my favorite Guinness commercial - http://youtu.be/SgvkSuHGa2U
Russell, Thanks for your post. I had forgotten that in 2000 I went to the Guinness factory in Dublin. I'm not a drinker but my then-husband was and Guinness was his favorite beer. The thing that stands out to me the most about that visit is that Guinness was still pushing the "it's good for you" slant and the Irish women I met said they drank Guinness every single day they were pregnant, and that's what all "good" Irish-women did to have healthy babies! I swear I am not making this up. My American sensibilities were quite offended but these women believed this down to their bones. Granted, they didn't drink a lot of beer but one glass a day is still so much more than Americans. The funny thing is, they felt just as strongly about not drinking while pregnant, they would NEVER have drank hard liquor or other beer but just didn't see Guinness as possibly being harmful. I think it just goes to show how advertising can influence an entire culture.
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