They say you should never talk politics at parties. Perhaps the same should apply to adverts?

Heineken’s new four-minute ad, Worlds Apart, which pairs “ordinary” people with seriously opposing views and encourages them to bond while building a flat pack bar, before sitting down to discuss their vast differences over a beer, has taken social media by storm over the past week.

Its message of common humanity and thoughtful debate has been framed as the antithesis to Pepsi’s recent social justice-inspired schlockfest, which was withdrawn after thousands of social media users pointed out the idea of Kendall Jenner averting an implied race riot by doling out ice-cool Pepsi to the police is, well, problematic to say the least.

But bona fide youth media outlets (and The Guardian) are viciously slamming the ad, suggesting the brewer’s strategy may be backfiring among the very consumers it set out to impress in the first place.

The concept of bringing together people with opposing views so they can find common ground is wonderful. And had Heineken chosen to match up people with different political views, or those who supported rival football teams, it could have been a winner.

But instead, the ad teams up a self-confessed member of the “new right” with a radical feminist, a climate change denier with an environmentalist, and a transgender woman with a bloke who apparently doesn’t recognise that transgender people actually exist.

Commentators such as Dazed’s Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff argue this legitimises sexism and transphobia, by implying they are just opinions to be debated, rather than just plain wrong and morally objectionable viewpoints.

“The advert successfully puts the views of bigots on a level playing field, giving them a false equivalence they don’t deserve,” Cuff writes, pointing out eight transgender people have already been murdered in the US this year.

And while the pairing of a man who doesn’t believe in global warming (for no apparent reason, mind you) and a polite-looking 20-something who really just enjoys the ongoing existence of our environment proves to be the least provocative encounter, is it really responsible to cast climate change denial as a valid opinion?

Millennial consumers

The message from marketers is that authenticity trumps all else for millennial consumers – so it’s easy to see why Heineken has identified politics as a potential avenue through which to reclaim the loyalty of customers lost to the craft beer movement.

And the payoff in headlines has been considerable – Carlsberg’s sleek new ad hasn’t yet inspired a furious think piece, to the best of my knowledge. With visibility comes vulnerability, so in that sense, Heineken should be applauded for its boldness.

But feminism, transgender rights and the potential of a burgeoning environmental crisis are topics that people care passionately about. Brands looking to capitalise on identity politics must tread carefully, lest customers vote with their wallets. 

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