Dos Equis: The Most Interesting Campaign in the World?

His blood smells like cologne. His hands feel like rich, brown suede. The police often question him, just because they find him interesting. He is….the most interesting man in the world! 

… and his real name is Jonathan Goldsmith. Originally featured in a small number of ads by an agency called EuroRSCG, New York, Goldsmith had small parts in shows and movies throughout his career. Little did he know that it wouldn’t be his 70s until he’d reach peak fame.

In a time when craft beer was taking over the U.S. and sales on imported beer were dipping, Dos Equis found a way to make their beer desirable. The main reason the Dos Equis campaign is so worth mentioning is not because sales rose significantly in the first year. It’s noteworthy because they took a polar opposite approach than that of every other beer brand. While Budweiser was making ads directed towards young, party crazed dudes, Dos Equis opted to feature a Hemingway-esque worldly gentleman—a figure to aspire to. That’s not to say that their ads lacked a sense of humor. On the contrary, they traded in stupid funny for witty one liners.

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Speaking of lines, The Most Interesting Man in the World’s catchphrase was so popular that it eventually became an internet sensation. The memes featured Goldsmith’s poised, straight-on stare paired with variations of the tagline, “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do I prefer Dos Equis.” It was the kind of success (and free publicity) that a brand can only hope for.