After launching the previous ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ to Mars earlier this year, and announcing that a new one would take his place in a trailer for a trailer (because even beer commercials have teasers in a world that’s teetering close to the edge of becoming Black Mirror season 4), the man has finally arrived. He’s faster, he’s stronger, and he looks surprisingly like Michael Phelps, if Michael Phelps had grown a beard and was 41 years old. (This is your future,Phelps, and it looks good!)
The ad above, which features actor Augustin Legrand (the man stepping into the role of Dos Equis new commercial spokesman) shouldn’t feel too unfamiliar to you. In a span of 47 seconds, Legrand rides the dunes, engages in a samurai fight, and creates an image of a whale by expertly throwing knives at a wall. The outlandish statements about Legrand’s accomplishments — he played college football in high school and once cheated death (which death was, allegedly, okay with, although that’s not independently verified) — are also there. The biggest difference? Legrand’s age and the fact that the commercials are now set in the present tense.
According to Ad Age, the decision to present the world with a younger, “more dynamic,” spokesman came with the fact that Dos Equis has begun a partnership with the College Football Playoff, which would make the former spokesman “illogical” for such a setting.
There are also some other very welcome changes that make the new ad more awesome (and equitable).
But the new ad includes some subtle differences. Women played a supporting role in the old campaign. They often appeared in sexy outfits and fawned over the actor who played the original Most Interesting Man, Jonathan Goldsmith. In the new spot, a female co-star played by actress Marina Artigas is put on equal footing with Mr. Legrand. She spars with him in Samurai armor and races him down the dunes.
Stay Thirsty Mis Amigos (that’s the new tagline!), this guy’s going to be around awhile!
