For some reason, drinks companies are taking it upon themselves to solve the globe’s greatest controversies and make great political statements.
Pepsi’s trivialisation of racial and political struggles, using Kendall Jenner as the face of their cashing-in on the extremely significant #BlackLivesMatter movement, has been embarrassingly shown up by Heineken.
If these businesses insist on weighing in on the political climate of today for monetary gain, then I’m glad Heineken are at least trying to make a nice point in a more relatable way.
The advert begins by showing everyday people (not privileged Kardashian Klan members), opening up about their intensely opposing views to each other on feminism, climate change, and transgender rights.
The strangers are put into pairs with conflicting opinions without any information about the other, and perform a number of tasks, ending in them all getting on well.
When they become comfortable, they are shown a tape of their heavily opposing views and asked whether they would like to sit down with a Heineken and discuss their differences, or leave.
Of course they all sit down in an unrealistically open-minded fashion, and as if Heineken contains a magic ingredient of tolerance and understanding, they all begin changing their minds.
One guy, who previously called feminism an ‘excuse for misandry and man-hating’ was suddenly chanting ‘smash the patriarchy’.
Another, who denied the existence of genders other than male and female, with one sip was demolishing his history of ignorance and vowed to stay in contact with the woman in the video.
The ad rides on the tagline #OpenYourWorld, highlighting how having a pint can bring those together who are worlds apart.
Heineken have, unlike Pepsi, left a good taste in the mouth after their advert, but the inference that any drink can solve anything other than temporary sorrows is a joke.
Perhaps I’m being incredibly skeptical, and it turns out that Heineken does reverse the deep-set prejudice in society, in which case, let’s replace water.
Take note Pepsi…
