• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, July 20, 2017

WiFi provider Luma is out with a new campaign for its Guardian Subscription Service today, starring the original Most Interesting Man (aka Jonathan Goldsmith) that stokes concerns about privacy issues for everyday schlubs like us.

The anchor spot is well-crafted. It makes you think about privacy and just how secure yours is — while making you more paranoid about your internet vulnerability than you probably already are. It opens with some upbeat Mexican-sounding instrumental brass music the evokes Goldsmith’s time as MIM pitchman for Mexican beer brand Dos Equis. (Well-played Luma.)

For those that don’t get the connection, the scene shifts to an animated JG with a graphic that reads: “Ask Jonathan Interesting (emphasis mine) Tech questions.”

The scene shifts again to JG in the flesh, addressing the importance of your privacy. “Just because you don’t take nude selfies or belong to a group that’s plotting world domination, it doesn’t mean you don’t need privacy,” JG says.

A group that’s plotting world domination? Whoa, that’s a pretty loaded phrase. Why do the letters ISIS come to mind? I’m sure I’m not the only one to think that, but whatever. 

The spot almost evokes a “Stays in Vegas” positioning as JG goes on about all the credit cards, SSNs, bank passwords and other personal info people share over the internet.

“Keep what’s between you and the internet between you and the internet,” JG says. The spot ends with that same upbeat brass instrumental it began with.

Oh, it also looks like JG may have a favorite new drink, and not Astral tequila, which he declared was his go-to when he signed on with Astral earlier this year. No, the drink sitting on his desk throughout the new Luma spot looks like a nice smooth bourbon, or maybe Scotch.

But heck, who knows. No matter what your favorite is most people like to change it up a bit once in a while, right?