Diageo: Guinness Clear

Guinness is embracing contemporary trends toward minimalism for a responsible drinking campaign timed to coincide with the launch of the 2019 Six Nations rugby championship on Friday in Paris.

As title sponsor of the event Guinness has brought former internationals Brian O’Driscoll and Lawrence Dallaglio back together in a bar to film them supping from a glass of Guinness Clear – literally a glass of rebranded tap water.

Intended to encourage supporters to swap out their beers for a refreshing glass of water every once in support of moderate drinking the advertisement seeks to dispel social stigmas associated with ordering water at the bar.

True Guinness fans can therefore stick with their favourite brand of refreshment while also taking the opportunity to rehydrate themselves for another round, saving their money as they do so.

In support of this message a tongue in cheek film positions Guinness Clear as though it were a genuine stout, embracing every cliché in the beer marketing book to complete the illusion.

Mark Sandys, global head of beer, Baileys and Smirnoff at Diageo commented: “We think the light-hearted approach delivered through our Guinness Clear product launch will drive conversation and put responsible drinking to front of mind throughout the Guinness Six Nations and beyond. We want to make sure that ordering water, no matter the context, is an active and positive choice by the millions of fans who will be watching and attending the Guinness Six Nations over the next six weeks”

Guinness supplanted RBS as title sponsor of the Six Nations in December.