I saw a new ad for Guinness tonight where it shows a big frothy pint of Guinness in close-up, and text on the screen says: “It’s always time for a Guinness*.” Then that text goes away, and a new line of text says: “*Unless you’re the designated driver.” Then that text goes away, and it says: “Guinness: only for the bold.” Which seems to suggest that it’s also saying: “Not for those pansies who agree to be designated drivers. Screw those losers.” I guess that there is some requirement of an alcoholic beverage ad to say: “Please drink responsibly” unless they say something about having a designated driver. But I guess it doesn't matter if your ad rubs in what that designated driver is missing by not drinking. I’m surprised that they don’t just adhere to the letter of the law, especially in liquor ads, and say: “Please drink responsibly, all day, every day.”
Back when Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum used to run those ads with people raising their left knees up like the picture of Captain Morgan on the bottle, and end with the line: “He’s got a little Captain in him!” I used to want them to show some guy passed out in an alley in a puddle of his own vomit with his left knee up and say: “He’s got a little Captain in him!” I've seen that outcome from "having a little Captain in him" a lot more often than the guys acting all smooth and getting the girl like they showed in the ads.
