As beer advertisements go, this one by Flying Dogs Brewery for its Wildeman Farmhouse IPA may just be the strangest one yet.
The Wildeman Farmhouse IPA commercial centers on a barbarianlike character, 'Wildeman,' who has an "axe is stained with the blood of a thousand adversaries," says the Flying Dogs Brewery website. At the beginning of the ad, Wildeman stands in front of a wall of televisions, with one of the TVs featuring a bald man saying over and over, "Tentanda via est!" -- which means "The way must be tried." Then, Wildeman smears his face with blood and marches off into the forest, his manmade wings spread out behind him.
The Wildeman Farmhouse IPA will be available Jan. 30 in only select states: Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Humorous Beer Ads
- The success of the Wildeman Farmhouse IPA ad shows a trend towards humorous beer ads that stand out.
- Hyper-masculine Marketing
- Wildeman's bloody, barbaric persona and the success of the ad demonstrate a trend in hyper-masculine marketing strategies.
- Limited Edition Marketing
- The Wildeman Farmhouse IPA's limited release in select states is indicative of a trend towards limited edition marketing that creates scarcity and exclusivity.
Where This Applies
- Brewery
- The Wildeman Farmhouse IPA ad demonstrates an opportunity to use creative and humorous advertising to market craft beer to a wider audience.
- Marketing and Advertising
- The success of the Wildeman Farmhouse IPA ad highlights an opportunity for marketing and advertising firms to help their clients stand out with bold, attention-grabbing strategies.
- Retail
- The limited release of Wildeman Farmhouse IPA presents an opportunity for retailers to capitalize on the exclusivity factor and market the beer as a must-have item.
