As the finals of the 2010 Football World Cup approach, the Lagerlad is in awe of the incredible effort that South Africa has put into being the first African host nation. 2010 will surely be remembered for the joy that its fans  brought to the sport. Its fair to say that this event has, in the main, been good for Africa. It has presented the continent in a positive and progressive light that has captured the world’s imagination. Its a story that needs to be heard more often. The Lagerlad would like to say, thank you South Africa!

The Lagerlad LOVED the opening ceremony for the 2010 world cup in South Africa! It was fucking awesome! What a strong message: Welcome Home! While other ceremonies will be remembered for the spectacle of technology and big bucks this one will go down in history for its overwhelming JOY. And the opening match -  MEX 1; RSA 1 what a fantastic start. South Africa, the world is in love with you!

Lagerlad is going out on a limb for this one. Recently the latest offering by Tourism Australia has been slammed for being incredibly kitsch, in fact outright tacky. However the Lagerlad is actually warming to it. There’s a total lack of self-consciousness that makes this ad work in its own way. Yes, its not written for travel sophisticates but so what? It is accessible and cheerful which is pretty much Australia in a nutshell.

Visit:

http://www.tourism.australia.com

Lagerlad LOVES Optus’ World Cup 2010 campaign! The message is simple: expect big things from South Africa. It captures sheer drama of the Republic beautifully. While the Lagerlad is no great fan of Optus itself, this ad has definitely made him sit up and take notice.

The Lagerlad loves this ad!

Most brands appeal to us by answering one of five essential questions: Who would you like to be? What do you want people to know about you? When did you last have sex? Why are you unique?  And where would you rather be? Corona is all about the where-factor. Its goal is to remind us that we could all be somewhere much more fun at which point the first four questions don’t seem to matter all that much. Truth be told the Lagerlad isn’t a big fan of Corona there’s something about their brand that ironically precludes living in the moment. In becoming a truly global brand, the Lagerlad cant help but wonder if the boys at Corona have become just a bit too corporate? Take their  latest website for instance, its stiff graphics and mundane structure seem to be the products of a boardroom meeting rather than a beach party. Which begs the question, “How do I get out of here?”

See for yourself:

http://www.corona.com

Stella Artois is the tuxedo of beers. Indeed shouting your mate a Stella is more like saying ‘congratulations’ than ‘this one’s on me’. The Lagerlad loves everything about this brand. It’s aspirational yet accessible. Which is why Lager is more than a bit disappointed when it comes to their website.  Its  a shocker! Can there be any excuse for allowing a Christmas campaign to run all the way to May??

Check out:

www.stellaartois.com

This one’s going out to Lagerlad’s mum:  Happy Mother’s Day:

http://tinyurl.com/2dwg4ev

Back in 2001, the Lagerlad purchased a beautiful Armani suit from Harry Rosen’s flagship store on Bloor St. in Toronto. To this day they still remember Lager by name! As far as the Lagerlad is concerned that’s awesome customer service. Buying a suit is like a ritual. No matter how often you do it each suit is a milestone. When in Toronto, the Lagerlad loves stopping by to Harry Rosen to see what’s new.

For more information:

http://www.harryrosen.com/

Preach-on brutha!