There has been a trend in the discussion of stereotypes on
this blog, or rather, the negative connotation of stereotypes, but what I think
we have yet to consider is positive stereotypes (or cultural acceptance of
stereotypes, particularly in advertisements).
This weekend, I was able to make the trek to Dublin with
some friends, and coming out of customs in the Dublin airport, we ran into this advertisement:
The Irish are
known for showing favor to the drink, and this advertisement embraces this
sentiment, shedding a more positive spin on the stereotype and embracing it as
a source of revenue.
I thought this was creative, to say the least (or as the
Irish would say, “Brilliant Craic!”), but I would love to hear other thoughts
on the subject.
Is embracing a stereotype, even a negative one, an ingenious use of resources, or is it detrimental,
as it reinforces a “negative” sentiment?
If this ad is negative, do you think there is a positive way to use
stereotyping in product promotion?
I love how the Irish somewhat feed the stereotype as heavy drinkers. This may not help the stereotype at all, but it certainly does shed light on the fact that they embrace it. I think for them to have an advertisement like this shows the pride in their country and their home brand of whiskey. The slogan is really catchy as well, and for me it does not serve a purpose as a negative ad - it's probably quite normal for an Irish person to see a clever Jameson ad.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this ad is clever. In America an ad like this would not be so well received. Perhaps thats because America is a much larger country, with many more demographics who have different sentiments about drinking. In Ireland, since they are a small country with a less diverse population, ads like this can fly. And hey, they are great ads. I agree with Teresa that they are embracing a staple of their country. Its a matter of pride, and Jameson is one of their biggest brands. Great ad.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this advertisement as well. It is witty, attention getting, and fun. It is an entirely appropriate advertisement as well, because after all I don’t think any Irish person would argue that “heavy drinker” stereotype attached to the Irish is false. Attaching a stereotype of this kind is a safe advertisement and claim, as opposed to some other stereotypes, and that is why I think this is a successful advertisement as well, Yates.
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