The Most Interesting Man in the World
In an era where getting noticed is increasingly becoming more and more difficult, and in order to capture someone’s attention for 30+ seconds almost feels like the planets have to be aligned. Big time companies are having to think outside the box in order to get their products out there, and in some rare cases they end up creating something truly special.
Spoiler Alert!!! Keep reading at your own risk.
In case you didn’t know, rumor has it that Booking.com is bringing back two old legends from past Super Bowl commercials in Jonathan Goldsmith aka “The Most Interesting Man in the World” and Isaiah Mustafa aka “Smell Like a Man, Man” to help Idris Elba with his new endeavor as a spokesman for the company. With this star caliber lineup, they might just hit it out of the park in what could be the biggest splash in the big dance this year.
So why am I writing about this? And no I’m not trying to get signed by TMZ or turn this blog into a gossip column. The truth of the matter is that when the Dos Equis commercials first aired in 2006 and up to the failed attempt that Stella Artois attempted in 2019 I was truly mesmerized and engaged with “The Most Interesting Man in the World” conversation. In my humble opinion whoever came up with the phrase: “ I don’t always drink beer, but when I do I prefer Dos Equis” and then end each commercial spot with the phrase: “Stay thirsty my friends” is an absolute genius.
The Heineken Group owned beer from Mexico all of a sudden developed a charisma and sophistication that the beer market as a whole and all of its competitors lacked, and in turn started a conversation among its followers on what “The Most Interesting Man in the World” would do next, or what new secrets would we uncover in his next adventure. I remember the arguments that started over this topic, and even the comparisons to James Bond and Chuck Norris that soon followed. With too many qualities to list, due to the 10+ years of tv ads and social media conversations, I comprised my all time top 5 favorite facts about “The Most Interesting Man in the World”:
- He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels.
- The police often question him just because they find him interesting
- He has won the lifetime achievement award, twice.
- If he were to mail a letter without postage, it would still get there.
- His mother has a tattoo that reads “son”.
A great idea like this can bring life, personality and true differentiation for a brand such as Dos Equis. Specially in an industry were were market share is hard to come by, because people’s brand loyalty and remembrance is quite short. So creating a memorable character that allows Dos Equis to stir the conversation is really what any marketer should aspire to and remember to stay thirsty my friends.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller.
