ABOUT ADS OF THE WEIRD

With Ads of the Weird, MSNBC.com takes a look at some of the oddest, most eye-catching, controversial and just plain interesting advertising out there today. Primary writer Allison Linn covers the retail and advertising industries for MSNBC.com. The Ads of the Weird team is always interested in hearing what ads have caught your attention, whether it's online, on television or in print.


Colt .45 brown bags it

Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 3:00 AM by Rob Neill
Filed Under:

We are no fans of malt liquor. Not to say we haven’t drank our share.

But when we were young and dumb and poor (aka college), it was the low-budget alternative to something good. Now that we’re no longer … er … young, we’ve refined our cocktail hour habits.

So we were mildly surprised to find the makers of Colt .45 trying to make what is essentially cheap swill fashionable.

Pabst Brewing Co.

Pabst Brewing Co.’s new print and Web campaign uses the works of comic book artist Jim Mahfood (nice touch: he had previously founded 40 Oz. Comics) and attempts to take the brand out of the hood and move it to the … gentrified lofts up the street in, well, that same hood.

Screw mojitos urban hipsters! Here’s your new drink of choice!

We’re not going to debate the merits of alcohol advertising. It’s a legal product after all. But we are amused at some of the more cynical elements of the campaign. We’ll attempt to translate.

The pitch: “Our brewmasters use words like ‘Smooth but robust,’ ‘flavorful extracts of malted barley and corn’ and ‘ample body and smooth finish’ to describe the brew. Sounds good to us. And for a little extra kick, try the double malt.”

What it means: This tastes like crap, so get the higher alcohol version – at least you’ll be immune to the taste quicker.

The pitch: “Everyone’s had a Colt .45 night. It’s the kind where anything goes, from dusk ‘til the break of dawn.”

What it means: Bring bail money and don’t try to fight cops while handcuffed.

That said, Mahfood’s cartoons on the Web site (check “The Tales” section) are funny. The 12-pack-hidden-in-the-afro one, especially, ranks right up there with Bud light for beer-ad-goodness. And having it all look like it was drawn on brown paper bags not only made us think of a fave Public Enemy song, but it makes the campaign seem more edgy.

So great campaign for a lame product. Seems fitting during this endless political season after all.

It’s still not our favorite malt liquor. This is.

Enjoy the Super Bowl, we have commentary already on the ads here, and will have more news and video of the ads later in the week.

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Comments

I'll translate that tattoo she's sporting on her back that says, "Works every time."  

Men, if you drink this, women will look attractive. Works every time.

Women, if you drink this, a man probably gave it to you so that he looks more attractive. Works every time.

RandomEsq, Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:22 AM)

The "Works Every Time" slogan comes from th eold school ads with Billy Dee Williams. He usually had a couple hot chicks on his arm when he said it.

Darrin Williams (Sent Tuesday, January 29, 2008 5:49 PM)

I'll take crappy malt liqour over beer-flavored seltzer like budweiser any day...atleast with the malt liqour, you're getting drunk faster.

Steve (Sent Saturday, February 23, 2008 5:39 PM)

"We are no fans of malt liquor. Not to say we haven’t drank our share."

Had a few already?  How about "...we haven't drUnk our share."  Simple grammar of which I'm sure most journalists have heard...

Heather, Columbus, OH (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 6:22 AM)

Yes, Heather, I too immediately noticed the same thing:

"Not to say we haven’t DRANK our share" should have been "Not to say we haven’t DRUNK our share."

Apparently knowing how to speak and write English properly is not a requirement for a job at MSNBC.

C. Hart (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 3:50 PM)

The words drunk & drank, according to the dictionary, seem to be interchangeable.

Jeananne, Ma. (Sent Wednesday, March 12, 2008 1:30 PM)

Anyone who drinks that kind of swill, be it Colt or Bud, deserves what they get. Give me a good microbrew any day!

Jon (Sent Wednesday, March 12, 2008 2:08 PM)

I could not agree more.  You can't beat a good microbrew

Katy Mooney, Grand Rapids, MI (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 12:17 AM)

What is microbrew?

Tony (Sent Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:42 PM)

Its all nasty addictive ethanol to me..

Bob Dog (Sent Tuesday, April 01, 2008 8:28 AM)

"The words drunk & drank, according to the dictionary, seem to be interchangeable."

Jeananne, this is baloney! Dictionaries describe what people say, even if it's wrong, and take it from an English teacher, this is just plain wrong.

C. Hart (Sent Tuesday, April 08, 2008 8:35 PM)

"Jeananne, this is baloney! Dictionaries describe what people say, even if it's wrong, and take it from an English teacher, this is just plain wrong."

English teacher eh? i'm pretty sure that the processed meat product you meant to refer to is bologna. i've never heard of baloney.

robin, canada (Sent Friday, May 16, 2008 5:36 PM)

I love colt 45, and have been drinking it since long before i should have. In todays economy what is so wrong with a delicious economical beer?

Traig Harper (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 4:43 PM)

colt 45 and two zig zags baby that's all we need.

Tabitha,Erlanger, Kentucky (Sent Tuesday, November 11, 2008 11:44 AM)



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