STEALTH ADVERTISING

While traveling on U.S. Hwy 70 into New Bern earlier today, this blog found itself enmeshed in a miniature traffic jam, in which about 300 cars were stuck behind an 18-wheel Yuengling beer truck. Although some species of slug have been known to accelerate faster than semis, this particular one still thoughtlessly drove in the left lane, which is supposed to be reserved for people who want to go FAST.

As this blog was in a hurry and the car it was driving had no air conditioning, this situation created a high level of tension. "If I live to be 100, I will NEVER buy Yuengling beer," this blog thought to itself while scornfully regarding the vivid color advertisement on the back of the Yuengling truck as it began to eke its way to 35 mph. This blog is certain it wasn't the only irate motorist that now has a bone to pick with Yuengling ( probably Chinese for "panda piss") beer.

So why would a company advertise on something that is likely to alienate consumers? The industry likes to think of semi-trailers as rolling beer advertisements, whereas most drivers like to think of them as plodding, hulking abominations that make you late for your supermarket beer run. This blog is willing to bet that if a brewery painted all its trucks in a nondescript way and then ran TV and print ads touting "Budweiser: We Don't Hold You Up On the Road," this company would see an immediate spike in beer sales.

This form of "stealth advertising," or selective NON-advertising would also benefit other companies who foolishly slather every inch of their trucks with photoads for their products. This blog will write Yuengling and inform them of this, not so much to perform a public service as to get manufacturer's coupons for free beer.