This vintage TV campaign from Lone Star Beer reminds me that computer generated images (CGI) have been in use by advertisers for years. It reminds me of popular TV shows from that time. The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched, in particular. It reminds me that making outrageous product claims has a long tradition. For example, “Something wonderful happens when you pour a cold Lone Star.”
It’s just a beer, but a beer with the power to transform, according to this mid-1960s advertising campaign.
“Suddenly, you’re alive. Doing things. Going places.”
Not on a rocket, on beer.
I’m reminded that lifestyle marketing is old school and that gender tropes masquerading as humor are used to sell things as common as beer in a can. Then, and now.
I’m reminded of the power of jingles. Jingles matter.
There’s Good Weird and Bad Weird
Here’s where things diverge into utter ’60s weirdness. A bored man stares into his aquarium and dreams of punching a shark. How many beers does it take to make a man want to punch a shark?
I like that the first two commercials contain whimsy and bravado. They’re mostly fun, even if they’re also dense. It’s not like beer advertising has a tradition of making the smart sell.
Lastly, it’s a bit hard to see a connection between the action in the spots and the premium positioning statement, “Lone Star makes the most of nature’s best.” To pay that line off, the spots would require a different story altogether.
It’s safe to say, what challenged ad makers then continues to challenge advertisers today. Whatever the medium for the message, the task remains the same—tell a magnetic story where the product, or buyer of the product, is the hero. It’s a simple formula, but it’s tough to get it right.
