Rheingold Beer ad battle brewing; Says new campaign isn't anti-GOP

NY Daily News ^ | Aug. 27, 2004 | Tom Van Riper

[mountaineer]

Rheingold has gotten itself into a first-class brew-ha-ha. The Brooklyn-based brewery with a hankering for an edgy image, wants to welcome Republicans this weekend with a profane new ad campaign that has tempers boiling over.

Rheingold planned to launch a series of controversial billboards - one portraying three men sitting on a city stoop, greeting GOP visitors with a one-finger salute above the words "Here's to a great convention."

Another shows a female hand spanking an underwear-clad man, while a third has a party-goer sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Orange Alert."

The problem developed when Rheingold tried to post them in some strategic locations.

The most prominent display was scheduled to run on the enormous digital billboard on the Queens side of the Midtown Tunnel, where Rheingold leases space from the owner - online grocer Fresh Direct.

The others were planned for 33 phone kiosks throughout Manhattan, which are owned by ad sign broker Titan Outdoor.

Both have balked at the campaign.

[mountaineer]

But through it all, Rheingold's Benheim has maintained the ads are just pro-New York, not anti-Republican.

"This campaign is consistent with our brand, it's cutting-edge," he said. "New York is on stage now, and this showcases the New York we all know and love."

I have a feeling there are plenty of other, better beers to be found in NYC.

[mountaineer]

Rheingold's website.

[rocksblues]

The only way I would drink a Rheingold again is if they brought bag the Chug-a-Mugs!

[rocksblues]

bag=back

[dangus]

>>Rheingold planned to launch a series of controversial billboards - one portraying three men sitting on a city stoop, greeting GOP visitors with a one-finger salute above the words "Here's to a great convention." <<

Gee, why would anyone think that was unfriendly toward the GOP?
[/sarcasm]

[Buck W.]

My beer is Rheingold, the dry beer.

They sponsored the Mets on TV, as I recall.

[NonValueAdded]

Let them post their billboards and capitalism will take care of the rest.

[wideawake]

Let them post their billboards and capitalism will take care of the rest.

Um, capitalism has already taken care of it. The private businesses who run those billboards have already said that they are not interested in running the ads.

That's capitalism.

[SC DOC]

My beer is Rheingold, the dry beer

Think of Rheingold, whenever you buy beer.

Next verse?

[mountaineer]

The current owner of Rheingold is Walter Liebman. Here are FEC records (the last listing may be his father; it isn't evident from the record):

LIEBMAN, WALTER
GREENWICH, CT 06830
RHEINGOLD BREWERIES INC
CLINTON, HILLARY RODHAM VIA HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FOR US SENATE COMMITTEE INC
08/21/2000 1000.00

LIEBMAN, WALTER
GREENWICH, CT 06830
RHEINGOLD BREWING CO
LIEBERMAN, JOSEPH I VIA FRIENDS OF JOE LIEBERMAN
08/04/1999 500.00

LIEBMAN, WALTER
GREENWICH, CT 06830
RHEINGOLD BREWING CO.
SANCHEZ, STEPHANIE HUNTER VIA SANCHEZ 2000
11/10/2000 500.00

LIEBMAN, WALTER H
GREENWICH, CT 06830
KERRY, JOHN F VIA JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT INC
04/13/2004 1000.00

[Buck W.]

Rheingold's head stays so high,
'cause it's brewed extra dry,


ALL TOGETHER NOW!

[FlJoePa]

Lindsey Nelson is spinning (in a plaid sport coat) in his grave.

[Gabz]

I agree with you about better beers................but somewhere here I see the ham-fist of Bloominidiot.

He's still bent out of shape about the first set of commercials that Rheingold ran on TV when they returned to Brooklyn last year.

They attacked Bloomberg on some of his pet projects - the smoking ban, proposal to close the bars hours earlier than they do now, and assorted oter things Bloominidiot is doing or proposing that is putting a hurting on the bar (and therefore beer) business in town.

[beelzepug]

"Here are FEC records."

And the brewing company smells a rat?

[mountaineer]

The culprit.

[Hurricane]

It's not bitter, not sweet
It's the dry tasting treat
Won't you buy extra dry Rheingold beer



But I can't remember what I did last week

[Buck W.]

Ah, yes, I remember it well, stocked alongside Schaeffer, Ballantine, and Schmidt's. All in steel cans.

[exit82]

Who could forget Miss Rheingold? The 1962 winner was very pretty, as I recall.

[Tall_Texan]

Politics aside, how did they think this would help their beer sales?

[Buck W.]

Looking back, my favorite beer jingle has to be that of Schaeffer, "...the one beer to have when you're having more than one."

Imagine the drunk driving lawsuits that one would generate today!