Havas Worldwide New York launched two new seasonal spots in its long-running “The Most Interesting Man in the World” campaign for Dos Equis.
The pair of ads applies the campaign’s tired formula to the timely, seasonal topics of masquerade parties and vampires. Speaking of the former, Jonathan Goldsmith‘s character remarks that “A little mystery can go a long way, I suggest that you have it lead back to your place” while lecherously oggling two young women. The vampire spot sees the character suggest that you could find someone alive to nibble on your neck.
Both spots miss any attempts at humor, with Goldsmith’s character instead coming across as gross and creepy. The formula for theses ads has long been clear and it often feels as though they’re being phoned in, with less effort to make its sexual innuendo clever over time leading to it not even feeling like innuendo anymore. Said tired formula — take a reference to an upcoming holiday or season (in this case Halloween), make an implicit sexual reference, glance at the women to your left and right, and end with the “Stay thirsty, my friends'” tagline — is in desperate need of revision as its hard to imagine anyone is still entertained by such efforts.
The new spots are part of the brand’s larger “Masquerade” seasonal campaign, which also includes ongoing contests and digital content. The campaign is timely as one of the earlier Halloween efforts to be released, but also suffers from one piece of unfortunate timing as news gets out that Goldsmith is facing a breach of contract lawsuit from his former talent agency.
Credits:
Advertising Agency: HAVAS Worldwide NY
Chief Creative Officer: Jason Peterson
Group ECD/Managing Director: Jason Musante
Executive Creative Director: Jim Hord
Creative Director: Paul Fix
Creative Director: Jamie Overkamp
Associate Creative Director: Matthew Hock
Associate Creative Director: David Fredette
Writer: Marty Bonacorso
Art Director: Melissa Ploysophon
Junior Writer: Andrew Niemira
Junior Art Director: Melissa Stammer
Global Chief Content Officer: Vin Farrell
Co-Head of Production: Dave Evans
Co-Head of Production: Sylvain Tron
Executive Producer: Jill Meschino
Director of Broadcast Business Affairs: Cathy Pitegoff
Senior Broadcast Business Manager: Deborah Steeg
Senior Talent Specialist: Yvette Aponte
Group Account Director: Chris Budden
Account Director: Jamie Sundheim
Account Supervisor: Sara Heller
Account Executive: Jenny Maughan
Production Company: @radical.media
Director: Steve Miller
Director of Photography: Bryan Newman
Executive Producer: Gregg Carlesimo
Producer: Barbara Benson
Editorial Company: Arcade Edit
Editor: Jeff Ferruzzo
Executive Producer: Sila Soyer
Post Production: Studio 6
VFX Supervisor / Flame Artist: Johnny Starace
Executive Producer: Melati Phohan
Audio Engineer: Eric Thompson
Music Composer: Brett Fuchs
Colorist: Company 3
Colorist: Tom Poole
Audio: Sound Lounge
Partner/Mixer: Peter Holcomb