We have all seen or at least heard about the recent Pepsi ad that has people hating on the company for making a silly advertisement with a less-than-relatable star. If you’re unsure, it’s the uncomfortable commercial where Kendall Jenner goes from modeling one second to suddenly handing a cop a Pepsi while protesting for some unknown cause. The Pepsi is meant to bridge the hatred between the two, but instead it just inspired hatred for the commercial, Pepsi, and Kendall Jenner.
As the world continues to change, more companies are taking note of the trend of wanting more ads based on humanity and progressiveness and many brands have been delivering just that. Some of the best examples include those from the Super Bowl this year, where companies like 84 Lumber focused on immigration and Audi advocated for equal pay.
To add to the list of new commercials (or this one is more like a short film) that intend to make a difference is Heineken’s #OpenYourWorld campaign, in which people with opposite viewpoints are essentially given the option to sit down and discuss over a Heineken.
The participants are paired off and asked to build a bar together without knowing anything about each other. They become fast friends as they build and are eventually exposed to each other’s views; these people would normally not be friends but they are given the choice to either walk away or sit down and chat over a beer. Which ones do you think stay?
In this politically-charged advertisement, it actually does the job of exploring what it’s like to meet someone in the real world and like them while not agreeing with their viewpoint. Sometimes their views get in the way of the friendship, but often people who aren’t politically aligned remain friends because there are other attributes that keep them together, such as humor or compassion. This commercial seems to hit that point on the head while also opening others’ eyes to the vast differences in humans.
Watch the commercial below to see for yourself.
