What’s that? If I drink Heineken I can be the most well liked man at the party? This may be so, but what if I drink Dos Equis instead? Doesn’t that make me the most interesting man at the party? Either way, beer advertisements such as these aren’t simply selling an alcoholic beverage; they are selling a fantasy and an exciting one at that.
Lets take a quick look at what that fantasy entails, especially in this ad. Our friend making his grand entrance is quite worldly, well learned, and outgoing. Is it ethically sound for Heineken to sell this fantasy to their costumers? Of course it is. They don’t make any claims about how your social life will greatly improve while drinking Heineken. Hell, they don’t even show anyone actually drinking it (which they can’t legally anyways).
