A PR Calamity or Reach and Impressions a Social Media Manager Could Only Dream Of?
The influence of the Peaky Blinders writers partnering with Netflix for this production is evident, just from the trailer. Rugged streets, flawless casting and a dark, compelling atmosphere make this impossible to miss.
The series is set to follow the Guinness family through all the trials and tribulations that we imagine come with having the most famous surname on the island of Ireland. The target audience for this series is well, everyone. With Olivia Rodrigo’s boyfriend Louis Partridge taking a leading role as Edward Guinness and any Harry Potter fans will recognise Anthony Boyle as he plays the role of Arthur Guinness. Need we say anymore? This is unmissable.
But beyond the unwavering entertainment value ‘House of Guinness’ presents, Marketing Network Group is viewing the show with our communication lenses in.
PR is a vital tool in any brand or business growth plan. How a brand is perceived matters, and being able to influence or guide how it is presented in the media is always an advantage. Coverage is beneficial, raising awareness and shaping perception, but actively managing what is said about you or your brand is a key part of communications strategies. Consistency and coherence are essential.
Why the PR lesson, you ask? Build-up….
Here is the headache for Diageo. Guinness holds the number one spot as the most valuable Irish brand, valued at €3.1 billion in 2025. That is impressive work from their communications team if we do say so ourselves. Logically, with the attention this new series is likely to receive, the story of the Guinness family and life in Ireland at that time could only drive sales upwards, and potentially exponentially?
However, the Guinness family story is not widely known. Why else would Netflix seek to capitalise on it and create a series? With that, our PR minds begin to question, were Diageo consulted about the script or given any say in how the brand is portrayed rather than the family?
PR strategy is a vital component of any communications plan. Even if the data team is set to be licking their lips with the analytics of reach and engagement but the crisis communications team may have their work cut out…We are not suggesting Diageo would be unprepared for such a scenario, they are one of Europe’s largest brands but if you need a helping hand, our team, Valda Boardman PR are well equipped in this field.
Now, we’re not conspiracists here at Marketing Network Group, but it’s always fun to think outside the box…hear us out: what if this was the plan all along? Diageo and the Guinness marketing team came up with the idea? Pitch this to Netflix, not take the credit, and quietly reap the rewards.
The entertainment giants could hardly say no to such a proposal? We can part-fund it, help write it, and then watch the bank account climb.
The age of product placement marketing, thanks to the digital era (slightly) taking over, is now a channel most B2C brands have firmly embedded in their communication strategies. This might sit on the extraordinary side of marketing strategy, but for a brand this big, why not? Series commissions could be the next big thing.
This may not have been Diageo’s thinking, but it sure as hell is our strategic brains thinking big. I am sure you would not mind Netflix producing the box office series of the year about your brand’s story? Let’s make it happen… if you are up for it?
To be clear, all of these points are up for debate. It is possible that the Guinness brand reviewed the script and gave Netflix the green light to proceed without interference or it is just as possible that Diageo and Guinness have not given this a second thought and are relishing in the coverage this will give them, free of charge but is it free of crisis?
Only time will tell, as the Guinness settles (pun intended!), whether this box office event will be a PR calamity or an overwhelming success. After all, no publicity is ever truly bad publicity, right?
Marketing Network Group. We lead the way.
