Boycott Absolut Vodka

Your categorizing of the vodka drinkers proves my point that stereotyping is done for a reason! I've witnessed it myself.

When I mentioned that they all target, I was thinking about the Grey Goose and the Captain Morgan's billboards that are in plain sight on my way to work. Any 11 or 12 year old can see it any time of the day without even logging on, so they reach EVERY demographic that way. They want to start breeding their alcoholics young!

 

I thought he was on the money

 

waaaay on the money

 

And you never see Taaka Vodka advertised. The fact of the matter is that Taaka vodka tastes like the plastic that it is bottled in. The reason I have stereotyped vodka drinkers like that is because that is how I have observed them. Remember I used to sling drinks for a living. Yes there are Absolut and Captain Morgan Billboards everywhere it is what is commonly known as Scattershot advertising. It's kind of like throwing rocks up in the air. Eventually one of those rocks will hit something that isn't ground. Anyone can see it, it isn't one of those if you like this song, this tv show, this lifestyle you'll like our product kind of things. What I'm bitching about with the Absolut Vodka ad before a Justin Bieber video is that it is target marketing vodka to 12 year olds. Especially when it is a video for a song from The Karate Kid featuring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. In that context it is like saying to a 12 year old "If you like this artist (Justin Bieber), this song (Never Say Never), This Movie (The Karate Kid), These Actors (Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan) and this video all packaged together you'll love Jay Z and Absolut Vodka."

Advertising especially target marketing is especially effective since target marketing sells the viewer an imaginary lifestyle depending on who is targeted and how they are targeted. Justin Bieber to me is the perfect example of this. He can't sing in tune without electronic help (I saw him on SNL a few weeks ago and the first verse of each song he "sang" was horribly out of tune until the chorus kicked in and the live engineer got autotune up and running) he can't dance (I've seen 11 year olds with no dance background cop his moves) but he has a cute smile and comes across as a kissass. Because of this he is easily marketed to children who have no clue that they're being duped. They are using a pop star who is just an empty package to sell mediocre vodka to 12 year olds.

I have no problems with drinking I've been known to drink upon occaision and sometimes when there is no occasion. But I do think that it is fundamentally wrong to target market alcohol to 12 year olds. Remember once upon a time they had cigarette ads with Fred Flintstone Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAExoSozc2c"]YouTube- Flintstones Cigarette Commercial

To me it isn't that far of a stretch from there to vodka before a Justin Bieber video.

Peace Out,
Rev J