On the heels of one of the most controversial presidential elections in American history, citizens nationwide are seemingly more politically active than they’ve been in decades. Regardless of which side of the aisle you stand on, one thing Democrats and Republicans are sure to agree on is that it’s a good thing for the American people to pay attention to what’s happening in the world around them, taking advantage of the unlimited resources of information they have access to, and voicing their opinions on issues that matter to them. Predictably, this growing trend of political engagement has led to countless attempts from companies to try to capitalize on this by putting out ads and launching campaigns that reflect their supposed shared commitments to these causes.
By now everyone is aware of Pepsi’s tone-deaf, failure of an advertisement that seemingly suggested Kendall Jenner and a soda can heal America’s divisiveness. Pepsi learned the hard way that it might be best to sticking to commercials featuring Britney Spears as opposed to trying to take a stance on Black Lives Matter (side note: the Britney Spears/Pepsi commercials will forever be the best ads ever made in the history of advertising). However, a few weeks later Heineken put out a fantastic advertisement that got to the heart of the issues in a straightforward, and essentially anti-Pepsi, way. You can check out the ad here.
Essentially, the ad introduces us to a diverse group of people with differing opinions on today’s most controversial subjects, including feminism, transgender rights and climate change. According to Heineken, the new campaign aims to “promote openness as a value that helps break down the barriers between us.” They are paired up with someone who holds an opinion opposite of their own, and we watch as, for instance, the climate change denier meets face-to-face with the environmental doomsayer, and both are made to hear out their respective views. As this article from Fast Company says, the main political problem in post-Brexit UK, as well as post-Trump America, is the depth of our division. People with opposite views believe in their own opinions so vehemently, they’re convinced everyone on the other side is practically from a different species. Making matters worse, these people from opposing sides rarely get to meet each other outside of Twitter @-replies, which are among the most contentious places to be on the planet.
Ultimately, encouraging open dialogue and honest conversation is the best way to address the reality of our world today where many are willing to speak but few are prepared to listen. Kudos to Heineken on showing Pepsi how it’s done.
