There are two types of advertisements in the world.
Advertising that spends massive amounts of money to forcibly shove a name into people's minds, and advertising that slightly 'parasitizes' an image everyone already knows to drive the whole world wild. The small Belgian brewery 'Salier' chose the latter, and the result was a huge success. With just one clever plan, they turned the 'Manneken Pis,' a symbol of Belgium, into their own exclusive ambassador.
The symbol of Brussels, Belgium, the 'Manneken Pis.' This small bronze statue, steeped in the legend that little Julian saved the city by extinguishing an enemy bomb fuse with his urine, is bustling with tourists 365 days a year.
As usual, the area around the statue was packed with people from all over the world.
But that day was strange. It wasn't the usual clear water.
Carried by the wind, a subtle, fragrant scent of barley and the bitter smell of hops began to spread throughout the entire square.
"Huh? This doesn't smell like water?" "Good heavens, surely that statue isn't...?"
People began to murmur. The liquid gushing from the statue's... thingy(?) was shining with a brilliant golden light in the sunlight.
Just as no one dared to step forward, a man in the crowd approached as if entranced.
He held out a cup, filled it to the brim with the 'golden liquid,' and took a big gulp without hesitation.
[h3>The man's eyes snapped open. "Oh! My God! This is beer! And it's a very cool, amazing-tasting beer!"
The silence was broken in an instant. Everyone rushed forward to taste the 'fresh beer' spewing from the statue.
People laughed and chattered, enjoying this strange yet delightful festival. Just as questions poured in asking, "Which brewery pulled off such a crazy stunt(?)?", a name was naturally revealed.
It was none other than the 'Salieri Brewery.'
This news spread at the speed of light through word of mouth among reporters from various countries and tourists at the scene at the time.
Although it was a time without social media, the news that "the peeing boy of Brussels pees beer" was enough to make headlines across Europe.
People usually find it unpleasant to connect 'urine' with 'food'. However, Salieri broke through this taboo head-on with 'humor' and 'historical context'. First, defamiliarization: The premise that beer, instead of water, comes out of a statue seen every day became a powerful 'hook' in itself. Second, spontaneous diffusion: The story, "I went to Belgium and drank cheap beer from a boy!" is the best story to tell anyone. Third, appropriation of landmark authority: Salieri, a fledgling brewery, borrowed the reputation of 'Julian,' a symbol of Brussels, and instantly established a 'national-level' brand image.
Since then, drinking 'Salieri beer produced by(?) Julian II' has become a must-do for tourists visiting Brussels.
Amidst a flood of marketing, the lesson we must remember is clear. "Don't try to create something out of nothing.
Adding a touch of your value to what is already loved is the fastest and most powerful strategy.
It is a counter-intuitive approach, like making starlight beer flow from Cheomseongdae or tangerine juice come out of the nose of a Dolhareubang.
People open their wallets for a 'story that makes them laugh once' rather than perfect logic.
Does your business have a 'boy spitting out beer'? Or are you perhaps approaching it too seriously?
Sometimes, audacious appropriation that breaks stereotypes will be the key to making your brand known to the world.
