In visiting the Guinness storehouse, it was truly enlightening to see how the business evolved and how much goes into crafting the famed “perfect pint.” One of the most surprising tidbits was a short section detailing the casks, better known as the barrels Guinness is stored in. To know if a barrel was sufficient to hold the product, there used to be hired employees solely tasked with smelling them. Discontinued after the business became larger and processes became simpler, it was a very interesting insight into how businesses can create jobs based around very specific sections of the process. Though the company is now worldwide, crafting an advertisement which is widely appealing as well as successful is always challenging. On the floor dedicated to the history of Guinness advertising, I got a chance to check out a few of their modern ads. One specifically detailed La Sape, a subculture of Congolese people with a particular interest in dressing elegantly. The Guinness logo did not make an appearance until the last few seconds. On paper, this might sound like an absolutely horrendous advertisement for an Irish beer company. And yet, the ad had captured my attention and evoked feelings of community and joy. I am not a marketing major myself, but it was very valuable to see how common themes, no matter the culture, race, or country, are present in everyone’s life and are able to be appealed to. Though this is tricky to pull off, as minute details can cause slight hiccups. I have gotten first-hand experience of this in my day-to-day interactions in Dublin. A higher context culture than America, a few jokes have sailed far above my head and left me quite behind in conversation. One particular aspect of Irish culture which has been surprising to me is the necessity for one to really familiarize themselves with another before entering into any transaction/negotiation/interaction. I am very used to barely saying a word to a cashier in the States, here I am launched into a full blown conversation basically as soon as I step foot into the store. It is a bit jarring, but I have come to really enjoy it. In a world dominated by cell phones (yes, I am going there) and less and less human interaction necessary in day-to-day life, Irish culture has been a breath of fresh and a much-needed sharpening of my social skills.