Semiotic analysis for one of the Pilsener Urquell's beer brands (Czech Republic)

1. Gambrinus Semiotic Analysis Tom Walter, 2009

2. Introduction: Every culture expresses itself through the overall ‘package’ of communications that form its discourse . Discourse is the expression of that culture’s own particular worldview: made up of an overall mix of relevant TV, radio, films, books, music, advertising, jokes, folklore, personal conversation (even focus groups!) – all embodying similar cultural assumptions and taken-for-granted meanings. Our main task is therefore to understand the discourse , get its meanings in all apparent contexts, squeeze it like an orange and find couple of useful ideas!

4. BEER FACTS, CZECH PUB TRADITION etc.

13. Gambrinus Advertising : TV + print 1999–2009

14. Key signifiers >> Key communication codes >> Main code clusters Exposing Gambrinus key signifiers in all TV and print ads in last 10 years. Deciding what are the key communication codes for each year. Most important cluster zones defining the Gambrinus beer advertising from 1999 revealing residual, dominant and emergent codes. ‘ G’ advertising analysis approach

16. 1999 Key communication CODES: Anticipation & reward Breaking the rules Mainstream humour Masculine fantasy Re-presented reality/mystery

18. 2000 Key communication CODES: Bring us together Think different Parody Lust for life Refreshment

20. 2001 Key communication CODES: Anticipation & reward Breaking the rules Feel good Bring us together Make a choice

22. 2002 Key communication CODES: Absurd humour Friendship enhancer / Bring us together Anticipation and reward Masculine fantasies

24. 2003 Key communication CODES: Beer language One of the guys Rural style Product Isolation Self-deprecating humour

26. 2004 Key communication CODES: My moment One of the guys Share the life Party starter

28. 2005 Key communication CODES: Bring us together My moment Life with beer Think different

30. 2006 Key communication CODES: Parody Re-presented reality / mockery Beer language Think different

32. 2007 Key communication CODES: Think different Self-deprecating humour Re-presented reality Refreshment Sporting achievement

34. 2008 Key communication CODES: Self-deprecating humour Refreshment Absurd humour Tradition and nature

36. 2009 Key communication CODES: Men will be men Refreshment / reward Masculine fantasies Tradition and nature

37. Gambrinus advertising CODE MAP BEER APPRECIATION FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIFE STYLE HUMOUR SOCIAL ROOTS Anticipation & reward Refreshment Lust for life Feel good Tradition & nature Breaking the rules Party starter MASCULINITY One of the guys Men will be men Sporting achievement Think different Share the life Bring us together Self- deprecating Absurd Mainstream Parody My moment Make a choice ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality ) Mockery Mystery Masculine fantasies

38. Gambrinus advertising MAIN CODE CLUSTERS BEER APPRECIATION FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIFE STYLE HUMOUR SOCIAL ROOTS MASCULINITY ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality )

41. CATEGORY SECTOR: Close Competitive Brands / W HAT ARE THEY SIGNALING?

42. Claim: U live only once. Present Campaign: When did you have fun differently? TV: Your hamster’s birthday Competitive Brands: STAROPRAMEN Turkey Comment: Currant campaign is based on absurd humour leading to beer appreciation. There is always reason to have a beer (Hamster) and you can do whatever you want – it is your life. Advantage : Crazy and different. Disadvantage: Absurdity lies far beyond the product and can be harmful.

43. BEER APPRECIATION FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIFE STYLE HUMOUR SOCIAL ROOTS Anticipation & reward Refreshment Lust for life Feel good Tradition & nature Breaking the rules Party starter MASCULINITY One of the guys Men will be men Sporting achievement Share the life Bring us together Self- deprecating Absurd Mainstream Parody My moment Make a choice ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality ) Mockery Mystery Masculine fantasies Think different Staropramen in G’s code map

44. Competitive Brands: Budweiser Budvar Claim: The most precious we have. TV: Exhibition Comment: Present campaign puts emphasis on no artificial ingredients and strictly traditional procedures represented as the opposite to human life where such regulations are not necessary. Advantage : Simple two-dimensional concept. Disadvantage: Reveals the cold, un-organic and robotic world of Budvar production.

45. BEER APPRECIATION FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIFE STYLE HUMOUR SOCIAL ROOTS Anticipation & reward Refreshment Lust for life Feel good Tradition & nature Breaking the rules Party starter MASCULINITY One of the guys Men will be men Sporting achievement Think different Share the life Bring us together Self- deprecating Absurd Mainstream Parody My moment Make a choice ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality ) Mockery Mystery Masculine fantasies Budvar in G’s code map

46. Competitive Brands: Starobrno Comment: Heritage and tradition underlined by juicy Cechomor music together with its front-man. Advantage : The music gets directly in vein, trustworthy main character. Disadvantage: Too flat story without pun. Claim: The best beer in Moravia. TV: Pilgrims

47. BEER APPRECIATION FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIFE STYLE HUMOUR SOCIAL ROOTS Anticipation & reward Refreshment Lust for life Feel good Tradition & nature Breaking the rules Party starter MASCULINITY One of the guys Men will be men Sporting achievement Think different Share the life Bring us together Self- deprecating Absurd Mainstream Parody My moment Make a choice ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality ) Mockery Mystery Masculine fantasies Starobrno in G’s code map

49. Understanding the Codes

52. Understanding the Codes / Example of Joker (2009) Residual Dominant Emergent Veidt / 1940 Nicholson / 1989 Ledger / 2009 3D visual concept

53. Understanding the Codes / potential BEER APPRECIATION FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIFE STYLE HUMOUR SOCIAL ROOTS MASCULINITY ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality ) As we have seen codes are always modified in time. Let’s have a look at the main G’s ad code clusters again – through culture and other brands . The blandly descriptive codes will surely start to get rich, POTENTIAL meaning. Besides that, every code gets its meaning only in connection with other codes. The meaning of a joker can not exist without humour, acting, movies as well as bees without flowers.

54. Understanding the Codes / potential / masculinity ALPHA GOD MASCULINITY or

56. Understanding the Codes / potential / humour HUMOUR TICKLING POINT or

58. Understanding the Codes / potential / humour LIFE ON LIFE STYLE or

60. BEER LOVE BEER APPRECIATION or Understanding the Codes / potential / beer appreciation

62. SOCIAL ROOTS IN TOUCH or Understanding the Codes / potential / social roots

64. FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY LIBERTINE or Understanding the Codes / potential / freedom & individuality

66. Understanding the Codes / Implementation of a new code FEMININITY BEER LOVE LIBERTINE LIFE ON TICKLING POINT IN TOUCH ‘ G’ WORLD ( represented reality ) MASCULINITY (ALPHA GOD) +

68. or FEMME FATALE FEMININITY Understanding the Codes / Implementation of a new code

69. Understanding the Codes / Implementing a new code WOMAN in beer print ads

71. New Concepts & Ideas

72. New Concepts / I love you, baby Men can not give birth to a child and therefore suffer whole life with an unbearable inferiority complex. Unless they dedicate their love to beer! Imagine a chap walking with a pram on the street. As he pushes the buggy he passes a group of hot women. They all adore him, naturally – oh, what a man! Finally, he spots his pals that start to chase him crazily. He sprints as fast as he can! Why? Is it such a shame? No, the pun is something else. It is not a child that he’s got in the pram, it is the beer! Different stories based on this idea or various continuations. Beer birth (?), pram falling from the stairs in slow motion à la Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin, all the men jumping to save it, dramatically crying... Or saving the pram before it gets crashed with the train, bus, elephant etc.)

73. New Concepts / Once upon a time Gambrinus has been connected with a bunch of guys sitting together in a pub and having a good time. But how did they actually meet? The story must be as creative as possible. Why? Simply because the reality is too boring. And to draw the attention of curious women (in the story) and customers in real life, of course. Imagine a couple of hot chicks asking the guys: ‘So how did you actually meet?’ The fantasy story should be very attractive, narrated in movie pictures. It could be based as well in the past (e.g. killing a mammoth when one of the guys saved the others) as in absolutely unreal circumstances (two cars meet in the middle of the bridge in jungle and nobody wants to let the other one pass first; a fight starts... with happy ending when the bridge cracks, all the guys survive and become the friends). There is an endless variety of the story.

74. New Concepts / Your beer will never trick you What if a very attractive, seducing ‘fatale’ enters the pub? What is going to happen with the lad’s ‘firm’ friendship? They can put all their seduce-theories together and try it instantly out. (My tactics is better than yours! I will get her...). Naturally, nothing works until she comes to the last (too shy) man remaining with a pint of G on the table. She tries to seduce him but he tosses off his beer quickly as hell, smiling at her with an ironic smile full of satisfaction. Advice: Better stay with your beer, it will never trick you. Many variations of seductive techniques and endings Print: Golden silhouette of Gambrinus bottle shining in the dark, resembling woman’s curves.

75. New Concepts / Men’s fantasies can come true Gambrinus can make the men’s fantasies come true. The same way as Ghost Busters materialised their child fantasy or Lypsky’s Three Veterans used the magic hat, harp and the sack. What if one of them wishes to meet Angelina Jolie directly in the pub. Or to have a dance with Jennifer Lopez. Or any other world-known ‘mega-star’ (peeing beside his majesty Brad Pitt).

76. New Concepts / G - eneration free ! Czech pub and drinking beer have always been connected with national revival or revolt mainly against politics. Although this tradition still persists the enemy (after the communist era) seems to be unclear and people down and out. In spite of the fact that everyone knows it and meets it every day. Things like everyday routine, systematised morality (don’t do this), rotten politic characters (who is your favourite candidate?) or stereotypical roles (follow the rules) are strong enough to make you feel dizzy! Gambrinus could well serve as the hero, as the means of setting oneself FREE! Gambrinus can be the wider ‘I-want-the-change-now’ element. Because Gambrinus is the name for a king and it is the time to be revived now! Inspiration: Bj örk / Declare Independence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igOWR_-BXJU

77. Ideas Ad / Music Pay attention when choosing the music! The audible part of most Czech commercials is underestimated, though it is the music that creates the atmosphere. Ad / Appetising shots It is not very important to concentrate on TRADITION in the story. You can well get along with the voice-over during the appetising shots. Bluntly said, everyone knows that Czech breweries are old. Make sure the appetising shots are as tempting as possible! Look at your competitive brands and try to make it better.

78. Appendix design of the product

102. Thank you !