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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > October > 27
Friday, October 27, 2006
When kids learn (about beer!)
My oldest daughter turned eight Thursday and we went out to eat at her favorite restaurant — Logan’s, a steak house in Beavercreek. Waiting for our food, my youngest daughter tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to a lighted beer sign on the wall.
“Look! Guinness!” she said.
I looked at the beer sign — a big frosty beer mug with “Guinness” scripted over the top — and turned back to the table.
Wait a minute. I looked back at my four-year-old and remembered something. She can’t read!
“How did you know that was Guinness?” I asked her.
“Because of the “C” in the middle,” she said, pointing to Guinness’ trademark C-shaped harp in the middle of the mug.
And thus began my lesson in the power of marketing and how beer companies subtly encourage kids to think of drinking alcohol as fun and natural.
How do my kids even know about Guinness? Simple. I watch ESPN, a sports network. Guinness advertises relentlessly during sports programs. And their clever and entertaining ads feature cartoonish characters in slapstick scenarios.
Their ads have even become part of pop culture with the signature line “Brilliant!”
My kids fall off their chairs laughing as a bear attacks one of the characters, as they scare away fans with smelly cheese on their heads at a football game, as one of them bursts into flames eating chicken wings. Heck, I’ve even called them into the room to see these commercials because I know they enjoy them.
In theory, those ads are targeting me — the middle-aged male demographic. But the side benefit to beer companies is they appeal also to young children. As I thought about this after the restaurant incident, I realized they’ve asked me more questions lately about beer and drinking.
I don’t really drink beer that often — almost never at home but occasionally at events and restaurants. Now that I think about it, they’ve lately asked me if that beer in my hand is Guinness, what it tastes like and why I drink it. As is usually my policy, I answer them as honestly and completely as I can.
So in a way, I’m doing the beer company’s dirty work — indirectly teaching my own kids that drinking alcohol is a fun, acceptable, even desirable pass time.
What to do now? Well, I’ve resolved from now on to mention the dangers of drinking too much when these questions come up. What about you? What advice do you have for these situations? And do beer companies have a responsibility to make creative ads that are not as appealing to kids? Are Guinness’ commercial characters the T.V. equivalent of Joe Camel?
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