• by Teresa Buyikian , 3 hours ago

One of the most awarded and memorable beer campaigns of all time has a new installment 10 years after the last ad.

Dos Equis “The Most Interesting Man In The World” is back, and along with it, its star actor Jonathan Goldsmith encouraging a new generation of drinkers to “Stay Thirsty, My Friends.”

The campaign debuts on Monday night's college football title-game broadcast. The hero spot, seen here, shows clips from the campaign’s heyday, such as “The Most Interesting Man In The World” emerging from a space shuttle that has just landed in the ocean, dueling with samurai swords and other over-the-top activities.

These are in sharp contrast to how he has been spending the last decade – in an amnesia fog following an accident; forgetting who he was; and reduced to such mundane activities as picking lint out of a dryer, ironing socks and watering the yard.

As he discovers a lone Dos  Equis in the back of the fridge, memories of the man he once was come flooding back, as a helicopter suddenly appears to take him on a new adventure, leaving his Crocs behind. The spot ends in a lively bar scene, as he recites a slightly tweaked version of the classic line, “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I still prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty, my friends.”

“We knew the public thirst was massive; our research found that 83% of people exposed to the original campaign wanted to see it return, and the old ads drove an incredible 97th percentile brand recall in recent testing,” says Alison Payne, CMO, Heineken USA.

She adds, “While this campaign has been off the air for nearly a decade, the love for ‘The Most Interesting Man in the World’ never faded. That's why we're relaunching the 'Stay Thirsty' campaign to drive excitement among fans and inspire a new generation to be bold, be curious, and stay thirsty for new adventures. Because an interesting life is full of stories, ones that you will want to tell your friends about over a beer – preferably Dos Equis of course.”

The integrated campaign will continue with “previously unseen footage from his past, as well as bold and exciting new adventures.” The brand teased that the “next chapter” will unfold “during one of the biggest football broadcasts on January 25th.”