This year a 30-second Super Bowl commercial cost a reported five million dollars. Question: do you remember the 60-second ad Budweiser ran during the game? The game that only took place a few months ago? I know I didn’t, and I tracked every commercial that night. But I’m positive I will never forget the no-budget, ridiculous backyard commercials one very enthusiastic–possibly inebriated–fan of Costco’s Kirkland Light beer has made. Because money isn’t everything, but enthusiasm for your favorite beer is.
Randy Colpek and friends made a series of homemade “commercials” for Costco brand light brew (that we first saw at The A.V. Club), and they answer the question of what would happen if you promoted beer by combining the aesthetic of the Kool-Aid Man with the ethos of the Trailer Park Boys. Only these are somehow even better than that description. Not only because they are genuinely funny (and sometimes downright clever, even worthy of a big time Madison Avenue slogan), it’s impossible to tell if Randy is actually drunk or just fantastic at pulling it off. That’s part of the charm.
What’s the point of advertising? To get you to buy a product. Well this was so wonderful and memorable I now feel like buying a 48-pack of some bulk box store light beer. Don Draper couldn’t have done that.
And forget not paying five million dollars for 30 seconds; this didn’t cost Costco a thing. All it required was providing one very passionate fan with a camera a cheap affordable beer. Because money can’t buy you everything, but the more beer you can buy the better.
What do these “ads” remind you of? Tell us in the comments below.
Featured Image: Randy Colpek
Brew yourself up some more good reads:
- We’ve got beer made especially for shower-drinking.
- Here’s a beer inspired by Cersei Lannister.
- Jean-Luc Picard is a wine guy, but there’s beer in his honor anyway.
