Newcastle has tapped Wil Wheaton as its latest anti-advertising star, enlisting the actor and Internet folk hero for a couple of amusing online videos introducing a new Scotch Ale.
Wheaton does an amusing job of delivering the pitch under duress, as the Droga5 production is self-consciously faux-low-budget. He's also a well-known home-brew geek, and mixes some knowledge in with the humor.
"Newcastle Scotch Ale is a well-balanced, malt-forward brew with a delightful velvety finish," he says in the press release. "Basically, Newcastle and Caledonian made a kick-ass beer that does not suck."
The Scotch Ale is the first in a series of what Newcastle is calling "collaboration edition" beers made in partnership with some of Europe's finest and oldest breweries. This first partnership is with its Edinburgh-based sister brewery Caledonian.
"One of our dreams is to get rid of the 'intimidation' factor that prevents so many people from foregoing boring 'yellow beer' and enjoying more interesting brews," says Brett Steen, brand manager for Newcastle Brown Ale. "Wil is an inviting and knowledgeable guy, and we're stoked that he's taking this herculean effort of humor and wisdom onto himself so we don't have to."