Guinness pours creative past into new iAd campaign

Guinness — the mere mention of the stuff should make your mouth water. You either love it fervently, hate it or at least think you hate it.
The Irish stout is steeped in history, dating back to 1759 when it got its start at the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin on a 9,000-year lease. It also has a long history in advertising, making its unique mark on the arena from the beginning of mass media.
And now it claims to be the first beer brand to launch an iAd in the United States.
The company’s decision to jump on board with Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) platform suggests that the iAd medium is still generating interest and new business with large brands. It might also highlight some differences of opinion on Apple’s control of the creative process. Guinness has been a creative force in the ad space for years and it’s unlikely the brand would make such a large commitment to a new ad medium if it felt creative control would suffer in the process.
The campaign, which will run though St. Patrick’s Day, features sports-themed challenges and content. Once a user engages with the iAd they will be directed to sports-related quizzes, Guinness wallpapers or a step-by-step guide to pouring “the perfect pint.”
“As the first beer to launch an iAd in the US, Guinness is thrilled to provide our customers with engaging new content and a unique Guinness experience in a way that no other beer brand offers,” said Patrick Hughes, brand director at Guinness.