The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Not a bad idea!
I'm intrigued by Canadian brewer Molson's new advertising campaign - not in Canada, but in Europe.
I have to admit, that's pretty original - but how are they going to prevent underage drinkers from getting their hands on the beer?
Well, one can't just abandon a big red refrigerator in front of the national gallery in Trafalgar Square. Unless you don't mind it being detonated in a "controlled explosion" and getting the bill for shutting down one of the busiest parts of London...
From the number of camera angles, it is evident that each time the fridge was placed it was monitored by a rather large crew. They would need permissions from all of the people pictured who ended up in the published ad or "making of" videos. So they could check.
Also, did you notice that every placement was on an overcast day? This masks our having an impression of time of day, and both Belgium and England have compulsory schooling. Restricting the fridge from opening except during school time would have a very high probability of also restricting those below the drinking age from participating.
Anyway, while Belgium apparently has a law designating a drinking age, one wouldn't know it from observing street life there.
That said, at the next opportunity I'm going to get a good scan of the cover of a Canadian Passport. Just in case.
Beer can be bought pretty much anywhere and anytime here. So this idea, while novel, does not change much. Underage drinking regulations are quite lax in most places - and are probably not enforced, anyway.
Besides... your age shows on your passport, so it's a moot point.
I don't know. I'm traveling in a strange land where I'm not fluent in the language and am pretty sure that the local legal system isn't quite as strong on mens rea and presumption of innocence doctrines as I might like. Suddenly, lots of people are asking me if I hold a passport from my country. Is this a scam? Have I been singled out? How did they know my citizenship?* I am led to a giant beer fridge, and asked to insert my passport. Do I trust this machine? Will it give my passport back? Will it steal my identity?. I enter the cover of my passport for it to be scanned, and the door of the fridge pops wide open. Suddenly, a dozen preteen youths push through the crowd, and are amongst the score of people grabbing the bottles, opening them, and enjoying them in the square. Then come the police. Who was it that gave the beer to the children? Well this is the guy recorded on the machine. The cafe is complaining about loss of business? Well it was fine for you to take a bottle, but no one said you could distribute such things on the square without permission. Oh, the owner of the machine is here and says that you were entitled to one bottle, but have stolen the entire contents instead...
A lot of Europe has few lax under age la.ws
ReplyDeleteWell, one can't just abandon a big red refrigerator in front of the national gallery in Trafalgar Square. Unless you don't mind it being detonated in a "controlled explosion" and getting the bill for shutting down one of the busiest parts of London...
ReplyDeleteFrom the number of camera angles, it is evident that each time the fridge was placed it was monitored by a rather large crew. They would need permissions from all of the people pictured who ended up in the published ad or "making of" videos. So they could check.
Also, did you notice that every placement was on an overcast day? This masks our having an impression of time of day, and both Belgium and England have compulsory schooling. Restricting the fridge from opening except during school time would have a very high probability of also restricting those below the drinking age from participating.
Anyway, while Belgium apparently has a law designating a drinking age, one wouldn't know it from observing street life there.
That said, at the next opportunity I'm going to get a good scan of the cover of a Canadian Passport. Just in case.
Beer can be bought pretty much anywhere and anytime here. So this idea, while novel, does not change much.
ReplyDeleteUnderage drinking regulations are quite lax in most places - and are probably not enforced, anyway.
Besides... your age shows on your passport, so it's a moot point.
I don't know. I'm traveling in a strange land where I'm not fluent in the language and am pretty sure that the local legal system isn't quite as strong on mens rea and presumption of innocence doctrines as I might like. Suddenly, lots of people are asking me if I hold a passport from my country. Is this a scam? Have I been singled out? How did they know my citizenship?*
ReplyDeleteI am led to a giant beer fridge, and asked to insert my passport. Do I trust this machine? Will it give my passport back? Will it steal my identity?.
I enter the cover of my passport for it to be scanned, and the door of the fridge pops wide open. Suddenly, a dozen preteen youths push through the crowd, and are amongst the score of people grabbing the bottles, opening them, and enjoying them in the square.
Then come the police. Who was it that gave the beer to the children? Well this is the guy recorded on the machine. The cafe is complaining about loss of business? Well it was fine for you to take a bottle, but no one said you could distribute such things on the square without permission. Oh, the owner of the machine is here and says that you were entitled to one bottle, but have stolen the entire contents instead...