I will preface by saying that I think so It’s always sunny in Philadelphia It is one of the best TV shows at the moment. However, this season’s Coors Light product placement is driving me crazy! Glen Howerton, aka. Dennis tweeted the following:
Would most people prefer to see us drink cans with “beer” written on Sunny or get paid by COORS to put on a good show that people would love.
I’m not sure I understand why this is an “or” statement. Will the show cease to exist without a chorus? But I get his point. It’s possible that the main cast, who also created the show, didn’t make much in the first few years and have every right to make an income. However, I have two problems.
The first is the complete lack of finesse. Will the pub be sponsored almost exclusively by Coors Light? Signage, napkin holders, napkins, light shade over the pool table, no other taps visible, etc. Will bar owners drink the same beer exclusively? Only if that beer is free, it doesn’t happen. With an ample amount of beer options, they’ve mixed it up. And the prevalence of other characters drinking it, just throws light on viewers’ faces.
The second is a matter of choice. Coors Light looks like an outsider to these guys. I’ve lived in Philly for nine years and I’m pretty sure people don’t drink bottles of Coors Light unless they’re selling really cheap or a special deal. Nobody drinks bottles of Coors Light in Philly dive bars, especially in South Philly where Paddy’s is located. Even worse, it’s not really plausible to believe that any of the characters, except for the absurd Dennis, would ever drink Coors Light. Remember, this is the crew that drank cheap wine out of a can of Diet Coke.
What should they drink
The bars in South Philly can be roughly divided into two categories: hipster bars and local bars. Hipsters have moved into pockets of South Philly and can usually be found drinking PBR, other cans like Dale’s Pale Ale, or stouts, like those from the semi-local Victory Brewing Company. Given that Paddy’s few customers are elderly, it’s not a hipster pub.
It’s a local pub. Philly locals drink cheap local beer, but not bottles of Coors Light. Perennial favorites are Budweiser and Miller Lite. Budweiser is out because it already has it footnote product placement. Miller Lite is an option. But the better option is Yuengling, which is a step up from the mass-produced Miller. Yuengling is from eastern Pennsylvania and has a near-national footprint. It’s the beer served at Philly-area college keg parties when trying to sort it out from the usual natural light. Yuengling is so pervasive in the region that its flagship brand is simply referred to as “the beer”. to It’s always sunny in PhiladelphiaYuengling would have fit in seamlessly.
Yuengling probably didn’t have any interest in advertising through the show. They might have, but their show was much worse than Coors Light’s. I hate to complain about a show I enjoy, but I wish they could have put together a more realistic product, if it had to be done at all.