Diageo, The Brad
Diageo paid millions to run this Super Bowl spot about a woman named Alex meeting a blind date at a bar. She accidentally introduces herself to the wrong fellow, and when the right guy shows up, he is classless with his Corvette license plate bearing his name, "The Brad." Her face falls, so the first guy moves in to save her by intercepting him and introducing himself as Alex -- Brad flees.
Tracey Mason, who leads up Diageo's gay marketing efforts, comments, "The Smirnoff team made sure that my team was heavily involved in the development of the Brad spot to make sure that the message we were sending was the right one. That message, which resonated well with gay consumers in the numerous gay focus groups we staged prior to release and as per the comments on your site, was intended to demonstrate how a smart, quick thinking man would have no issue being perceived as gay -- at all -- but especially by a guy like 'Brad.' We are, in essence, poking fun at Brad's 'jerkiness' and the self-perceived ultra cool/macho/narcissistic persona he embodies. These things, including fleeing the bar when faced with a male blind date, are all the things that a guy like that would do and, conversely, all the things our 'hero' would oppose.
"I am very proud of the ad and, in particular, of the Smirnoff marketing team and our agency, JWT, for their creative sensitivity and inclusion. I and, more importantly, an overwhelming majority of the gay and lesbian consumers with whom we spoke prior to releasing 'the Brad', think the ad is smart and funny. "
Diageo is the conglomerate that markets Tanqueray, Cuervo, Captain Morgan and Baileys to the gay community.
Filter Ads
