Sunday, May 22, 2016

What Makes the Most Interesting Man in the World so Interesting?

     One ad campaign I've always found intriguing and funny is the Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man in the World" series of advertisements. The ads depict an older man who is smooth, robust, and quite interesting. He offers several one liners throughout his ads that attract attention to the company, but I am going to focus on the techniques used in the below print ad. The first thing I noticed was the way the black leather, table, and suit were contrasted against the amber background. Black is considered luxurious and edgy, and so the comparison made is that the amber (which resembles the beer itself) is associated with the defined and luxurious look of the print. This idea is summed up nicely by the bit of black that subtly rests in parts of the amber. In addition, the bottles of Dos Equis are contrasted against the dark background so that they stand out. The man holds a cigar in his hand which speaks to the rugged and classy nature of the most interesting man in the world's persona. Two women gaze adoringly at the man while he stares out at you, giving the idea that "all this could be you"if you drink Dos Equis. This idea that you can become a more interesting and sexy person by drinking Dos Equis is an example of simple solutions. It also touches on our need for autonomy as text calls items such as mild salsa and khaki pants boring. Mild salsa in this ad has a connotation of playing it safe because you cant handle the heat and khaki pants are targeted because most males own khaki pants. What this ad is saying is that by drinking Dos Equis you can also become a less ordinary and unexciting person, which plays off the need for autonomy. Overall the luxurious look of the characters, the lighting, the use of an over simplified solution, and the message that we can be less ordinary is how Dos Equis appeals to consumers through this ad.

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