Becoming Interesting

The LinkedIn Wisdom Elders

I’m connected on LinkedIn to several men about my age or a little older who write posts like I do. Some also have weekly newsletters on LinkedIn where they publish slightly longer pieces, similar to what to these pieces on Wisdom from Unusual Places. I think what we have in common is that we’ve all reached the age, where we feel the need to share wisdom we’ve uncovered or accumulated before we die. We think we’re interesting and I admit I learn some things from these men.

I’m connected to a lot of wise women too. Often I learn more from the women. They are often more interesting and insightful than the men, because different genders have very different perspectives on life. The women’s stories often create what I call “flat head moments,” in reference to that spot on my forehead derived from smacking it with the heel of my hand in astonishment, “Oh man, really? I didn’t see that at all!”

I might tell some of those on another day. This is about the ‘wisdom” shared by old men, guys who think we’re interesting and that there is someone out there listening to us. To be fair judging by the comments a few people are listening, reading our posts and getting something out of it. There are some comments by women, and some comments by younger men, but all too frequently it’s other older men who read, relate and comment. We find each other interesting.

The Most Interesting Man in the World

This week a post from this wisdom brigade started me pondering about what I think is interesting, which led me to the Dos Equis beer commercial “The most interesting man in the world.” (It is amazing how the guy-mind works; somehow it always gets back to beer.)

This television commercial aired in the United States between 2006 and 2018. I’m not sure if it aired outside the US, but maybe as it was created by the EuroRSCG agency, (which became Havas Worldwide in 2010).

The ad ran for twelve years. It won a Clio award, which means a bunch of ad agency creative directors thought it was cool, and it was admitted to the Advertising Hall of Fame, which I think recognizes both creativity and sales. The campaign lasted more than ten years, continuing even after Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery, was acquired by Heineken in 2010. So no doubt it sold a lot of Dos Equis beer.

For anyone who hasn’t seen the ad, it portrays an attractive bearded older gentleman, a vaguely Latin looking and sounding bon vivant whose “personality is so magnetic that he cannot carry credit cards.”

The actor who starred in the ad from its inception was Jonathan Goldsmith, who allegedly auditioned improvising for thirty minutes with one sock off, before closing with the line he was given “. . . and that’s how I wrestled with Fidel Castro.” Goldsmith says he modelled the character on his friend and sailing partner, the archetypical Latin lover, deceased actor Fernando Lamas.

“The most interesting man in the world” was an object of admiration, perhaps even envy, to the target demographic young beer dinking guys. The character was well-travelled, shown in settings around the world. He was brave, shown releasing a bear from a bear trap. He was eccentric; he is shown cooking, shooing a mountain lion from the counter, obviously a pet.

He was sophisticated and supremely confident.

“If opportunity knocks and he’s not home, opportunity waits.”

“His beard alone has experienced more than a lesser man’s entire life.”

“He had an awkward moment once, just to see how it feels.”

Most importantly, he was attractive to women. (This was an ad for young beer drinking guys.) Beautiful younger women are always seated with him. The attraction is not purely physical; The Most Interesting Man (TMIM) is portrayed as sensitive, a listener, wise.

“A wingman? It never takes more than one man to have a conversation than with a woman.”

The pitch was always: “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do I prefer Dos Equis.”

The message: “You wanna appear suave and sophisticated like me, have chicks hang on your every word? Dude, ditch the Bud Light and order Dos Equis.”

Then TMIM spouts a philosophical zinger, “Stay thirsty, my friends.” The implication was if you want to be interesting, thirst for experiences, learning, and a high class brew.

Personal Branding

Jonathan Goldsmith became branded as “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” He was frequently stopped on the street. Celebrities wanted to meet him. He was invited to meet President Barach Obama more than once.

In 2016 Havas worldwide made a goodbye ad for Goldsmith where TMIM was launched to Mars, from which journey there was no return. In 2016 the new agency Droga5 launched a new campaign for Dos Equis featuring a younger more Latin-looking actor Augustin Legrande. It started airing in 2018 and closed the same year. Apparently Goldsmith was TMIM and less than replaceable. Havas tried to use Goldsmith to Pitch Stella and a tequila without success; TMIM and Dos Equis were co-branded.

This is also the period when people began to talk about personal branding. Tom Peters, the former McKinsey consultant who burst on the scene with In Search of Excellence, wrote a book called Brand You 50: Fifty Ways to Turn Yourself from an ‘Employee’  into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!

It is easy to see how this evolved into the YouTuber, Instagram, and TikTok influencer, everybody’s a star getting their “fifteen minutes of fame,” as Andy Warhol predicted in 1968.

But are we interesting?

Learning from TMIM

OK, there’s a lot of stuff that I think is negative about these ads. They promote some macho male ego crap that I think is damaging to both men and women. But I’m going to leave aside the men must be strong and brave, not dress in tight pants “if I can count the coins in your pocket, spend your change to call a tailor.” I don’t support the have a ‘real man’s drink’ message, “Unless your drink is expecting rain, you should probably reconsider the drink umbrella.”

But occasionally TMIM made sense:

“Find out what it is in life that you don’t do well and then don’t do that thing.”

“In another life . . . I was myself.”

“It’s never too early to start beefing up your obituary”

“I once found the fountain of youth, but I wasn’t thirsty.”

Back to the LinkedIn Wisdom Elder-Guys

Well, us old guys on LinkedIn may not be as interesting as TMIM, but we have a good time sharing what we’ve learned:

Charles Hamm, Texas Grit: “Knowledge is knowin’ ya can do sumtin. Wisdom is knowin’ if ya should. Ponder on it, pilgrims.”

Dr. Ali Anani: “I was looking at the image of trees facing a big storm. The big tree showed character by deepening its roots.
What makes people who have all the means to make strong choices but allow events to knock them over and fall?
Be strong. Be resilient with strong roots of values, ethics and thoughts.”

Bob Musial: I found books at my local library. The harried young woman said ”Checking out?”

To which I replied in a concerned tone, “I hope not.”

She didn’t get it, but I did thank the woman next to her for laughing”

Me: “A chip on your shoulder cuts off blood flow to the brain.”

Rached Alimi: There is a road in the world, a single road that no one else can travel except you: where does it lead? Don’t ask yourself, walk.

Thanks to all my LinkedIn friends who share their wisdom. We are all becoming more interesting every day.