Preface saying that I think It’s always sunny in Philly it’s one of the best TV shows right now. However, this season’s Coors Light product placement is driving me crazy. Glenn Howerton, aka. Dennis, tweeted the following:
Would most people rather see us drink cans that say “BEER” in Sunny or have COORS pay you to put on a good show that people like?
I’m not sure I understand why this is an “or” statement. Would the show cease to exist without Coors? But I understand your point. The main actors, who also created the show, probably didn’t earn much during the first few years and are entitled to monetize. That being said, I have two problems.
The first is a complete lack of subtlety. Would a bar really be sponsored almost exclusively by Coors Light? The posters, napkin rings, napkins, light shadow on the pool table, lack of other visible taps, etc. Would bar owners drink the same beer exclusively? Only if that beer was free, which doesn’t happen. With the large number of beer options, they would mix it up. And the prevalence of other characters drinking it just throws Coors Light in the spectators’ faces.
The second is a matter of choice. Coors Light seems strange to these guys. I lived in Philadelphia for nine years and I’m sure people don’t drink Coors Light bottles unless they have a very cheap deal or a special offer. No one drinks bottles of Coors Light in Philadelphia dive bars, especially not in South Philadelphia where Paddy’s is located. And what’s worse, it’s not really believable that any of the characters, save for the vain Dennis, are drinking Coors Light. Remember, this is the team that drank cheap wine from a Diet Coke can.
What should they be drinking
Bars in South Philadelphia can roughly be divided into two categories: Hipster bars and Local bars. Hipsters have moved to parts of South Philly and are typically found sipping PBR, other cans like Dale’s Pale Ale, or craft beers like those from Victory Brewing Company. Considering that Paddy’s few clients are old, it’s not a hipster bar.
It’s a local bar. Philadelphians drink cheap domestic beer, but not Coors Light bottles. The all-time favorites are Budweiser and Miller Lite. Budweiser came out because he already has the Entourage Product placement. Miller Lite is an option. But the best option would be Yuengling, a step up from the mass-produced Miller. Yuengling is from eastern Pennsylvania and has a semi-national presence. It’s the beer that’s served at Philadelphia-area college keg parties when it comes to differentiating it from the usual natural light. Yuengling is so prevalent in the area that its flagship brand is simply known as “lager.” For It’s always sunny in Philly, Yuengling would have fit the bill perfectly.
Perhaps Yuengling had no interest in advertising through the show. Maybe they did, but their offer was significantly worse than Coors Light’s. I hate to complain about a show I enjoy, but I wish they had done a more realistic product placement, if I had to do any.
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