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Rheingold's Don't Sleep Campaign
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 22, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 22, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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Gothamist took a look at the "controversial" Rheingold beer campaign - the one that challenges Mayor Bloomberg's quality of life initiatives - and we have a mixed reaction. The campaign, "Don't Sleep," has a great style, with shots of the people dancing, walking, sitting, or carrying an ashtray around the city, an MC imploring that New Yorkers "can't sleep till we take it back [from Bloomberg, The Man, whomever is getting in the way of our fun]." An awesome branding campaign for young New Yorkers who want to smoke or dance or sit on milk crates. But it doesn't say much about the beer, and the minimal emphasis on what brand it is (it's a short shot of a spinning Rheingold bottle at the end, underneath a graphic) makes it a less than ideal execution to sell beer (not counting the free publicity from this effort, not counting print/outdoor/radio work). Gothamist gives it's an A for representing the city, but a B- to sell the beer.
See the ads the Rheingold Don't Sleep site. Interestingly, they were directed by David Gordon Green, who directed the beautiful George Washington and All the Real Girls. His next film is Undertow, and he's been in talks to adapt Confederacy of Dunces, with Will Ferrell as Ignatius J. Reilly, Mos Def as Jones, and Drew Barrymore (who is producing, along with Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, etc.) as Darlene.
Today's Gothamist Interview is with Michael Tully, who appears in one of the ads.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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