Beck’s beer takes a refreshing look at the over 70s

“Ageing well is being able to continue enjoying all the most delicious experiences in life – including a great beer”.

This is according to Rodrigo Barbosa, creative director at AKQA, Brazil, which helped develop the campaign for Beck’s limited-edition 70+, a beer created for the over 70’s.

The beer has been specifically brewed to taste tarter than Beck’s usual beer to compensate for a loss of taste sensitivity among older audiences.

But underpinning all of this is an increasing recognition by brands that they have overlooked this older cohort for too long. This is why this Beck’s product and campaign really hits the mark.

The fact that in the ad an older woman is seen in a convenience store setting says a lot – it immediately strikes you as unusual – she’s clearly buying the beer because she fancies a beer, she’s confident, in control, knows what she likes – not buying it out of peer pressure, stress or because she’s buying it for her husband.

The lovely creative twist (in homage to the 2007 classic film Superbad), is when she has to prove that she is old enough not just to drink – she’s definitely of legal drinking age – but that she is old enough to drink Becks 70+ (and is possibly buying it for people who aren’t old enough to buy it, but want to get their hands on it). 

It is funny, thought provoking and most importantly, defies all the norms associated with drinking and age.

It immediately makes the product feel exclusive and aspirational and at the same time - and for the first time - makes being over 70 feel exclusive and aspirational, not distressing or pitying. Such a refreshing change.

The print ad carries through the message with a great call to action ‘The Beck’s you’ll want when you grow up’. It will be interesting to see how many other brands and sectors, normally associated with glorifying youth will follow suit and target this audience, who are so often either under-represented or at best misrepresented by most mainstream marketing.