The Importance Of Originality

Heineken has created a series of hilarious commercials featuring Neil Patrick Harris as their "candid" Heineken Light Beer spokesman. However, Heineken executed these advertisements in a unique fashion compared to other beer companies. In doing so, Heineken was able to stand out from the clutter of advertisements consumers see daily. In The Director, Neil Patrick Harris is confused about the regulations of advertising beer on TV and does not understand why he is unable to drink the Heineken he is endorsing. 

Neil Patrick Harris comments on an issue faced by many companies advertising alcohol. There are no requirements when advertising beer in the US, but the brewing industry's Beer Institute contains voluntary guidelines prohibiting situations in which "beer is consumed rapidly, excessively, involuntarily, as part of a drinking game or as part of a dare." However, many companies still use the long-expelled Television Code in which alcohol is not to be consumed in commercials. This is interesting because how can you endorse something you aren't even trying?

Heineken discovered a way around this issue. Neil Patrick Harris never actually sips the Heineken Light Beer in his hand, but he keeps wanting and trying to.  The best way to explain this would be through Heineken's commercial: The Director available above.The beer cannot be demonstrated or related to unsafe practices such as drinking and driving or alcoholism which is implied in the commercial below: The Party.

I love these commercials because of their creativity. The fake behind-the-scenes commercial with The Director is nothing like the beer commercials surrounding it. 

Heineken implies that Neil Patrick Harris likely drank the Heineken after filming. This leads to the conclusion that Neil Patrick Harris really does enjoy the beer; therefore, it must be good beer. The originality of these commercials stems from having Neil Patrick Harris as their spokesman but also twisting the voluntary regulations as well as the older Television Code in a humorous way. 

The candidness of The Director allows the audience to momentarily lower their guards and forget that the advertisement is actually trying to sell them something. It does not seem scripted; therefore, the conversation is witty and more natural. It is humourous if not slightly believable that Neil Patrick Harris would act in this manner based on his beer-drinking character in How I Met Your Mother.

However, I am curious if Heineken got into trouble by bringing up the regulations in this manner. They merely show the beer, so the audience “have to take their words for it” as Neil Patrick Harris states in The Party. These commercials are both appropriate for the brand and effective as consumers begin to associate Heineken with the actor. This also continued through Heineken’s commercial The Fans where Neil Patrick Harris is only referred to as "that guy from the Heineken Light commercials". These advertisements were well planned and innovative. To an extent, they reminded me of the Old Spice commercials because of how different they were from any other body wash brands at the time.

In order to stand amidst the clutter, you have to get creative. The "candid" nature of Neil Patrick Harris during these commercials provided that originality and uniqueness lacking in other beer brands' advertisements because no one can replace Neil Patrick Harris. He is identifiable, relatable and iconic in this day and age, especially in relation to Heineken's audience who have likely watched How I Met Your Mother. This campaign relates to my previous post about not letting yourself be constrained by figment limitations. Always think outside the box. It might be a risk but it brings something unique to the table that is memorable amongst the clutter of advertisements out there. Similar to the Old Spice commercials with Isaiah Mustafa, Neil Patrick Harris is associated with the brand in a comedic, albeit slightly random, way to boost Heineken's image as a suitable brand for consumers 21+. In doing so, they increased the awareness of their Heineken Light Beer and reached a new audience who may have not otherwise known about it.

What do you think of Heineken's "candid" commercials?