“Intrusive entertainment”—that’s a term turning up more and more frequently in ad circles. Simply put, it’s not enough to be on strategy and provide a target audience with tantalizing benefits for a product or service brand. The real prize pinata in today’s message-addled, “better be viral” world is advertising that is so interesting, provoking and entertaining that it’s virtually irresistible. 

Most of these types of campaigns fall into the broad category—“Off the Wall.”

Take “The Most Interesting Man in the World” campaign for Dos Equis beer, produced by Euro RSCG for Cuauhemoc Moctezuma Brewery.

The premise is simple—the most interesting man in the world has lived a life we mere mortals can barely imagine—but if we knew what beer he drinks . . .

Portrayed by the dashingly handsome and “distinguished” actor Jonathan Goldsmith, this man of international intrigue is so over the top that we’re all beside ourselves to learn more. Here’s just a taste of what we have learned:

• His blood smells like cologne
• His business card simply says “I’ll call you”
• On Careers: “Find out what it is in life you don’t do well and don’t do that thing.”

Our gadabout closes each spot with a chunk of simple profundity, like: “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.” Or, even more simply, “Stay thirsty, my friends.”

Personally, I find these quite funny, and the campaign’s star endlessly fascinating—not unlike an auto crash that leaves metal remains twisted in totally unexpected ways. 

So hip, so smug so self-aware and so campily fun that we can’t help but love and admire this tone deaf lady’s man of worldwide adventure.

But did it move the units? Well, yes—U.S. sales have risen every year since 2006, and in Canada, sales rose 22% during a period when craft beer sales overall were down 4%.

The take-away? Stay intrusively entertaining, my friends.

(Doug Cook)