Dos Equis- In Focus there is Strength

The Dos Equis campaign is a perfect example of how targeting on the basis of behavioral and psychographical factors can connect much more efficiently with consumers than the conventional demographic segmentation strategies. The Dos Equis benefits clearly infer the user type of the beer- male, occasional beer drinkers of any age who desire excitement and adventure. The beer category is heavily advertised and there is an army of different brands seeking their piece of the pie. However, surprisingly, the segment of occasional users has never been targeted explicitly by any of the numerous brands out there. It is a segment that does not care or cannot differentiate between rational beer attributes (half the carbs, coldest, less filling etc), but rather wants to make a statement about their persona when drinking. The ad is a great example of how brands can connect emotionally by focusing on consumers’ aspirations. In all advertising, the judgments of consumers are rather outcomes of inferential than literal processing- an approach that Zaltman clearly outlines as advantageous in his renown book “how customers think”. Consequently, the link to excitement, socializing and adventure are a clear reflection of the Dos Equis consumer’s desired self- the things that they aspires to in life. Just as older people often aspire to be younger, and younger people want to be older, many people in our work-oriented culture have subliminal aspirations of a life such as the “most interesting man in the world”. In above-the-line-communication, only the brands that manage to connect emotionally with consumers have a chance to break through the clutter and make an impact. And what about the exclamation at the end to “stay thirsty my friends”? The ad indeed made me thirsty for a Dos Equis- or was it the desire to go on an adventurous journey? Well done, Dos Equis!

Francesco Wesel
Integrated Marketing Communication
www.francescowesel.com