“Thirst of Authenticity”: A social history of Togolese beer advertising (1960-2018)

This article aims, in the spirit of politics from below, to examine the symbolical dimension of political power in Togo since the 1960s. Beer advertisement does not only reflect national history, but also the ambivalence in the memorial culture of German colonialism. How did beer—originally brewed by German companies—become an “authentically” Togolese drink? The two main arguments put forward here are that beer advertising in Togo is a conduit for nationalist authenticity as well as an operator of subjectivity, influencing gender representations in particular. This research is based on visual discourse analysis and interviews conducted in micro-bars in Lomé between April and June 2018.