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One-day-only Guinness advertisement features Barnes twins

Tracy and Lanny Barnes appeared Wednesday in a one-day only Guinness commercial.

The story of Durangoans Tracy and Lanny Barnes continues to capture the imaginations of the American and world public. On Wednesday, it was the subject of a one-day-only beer advertisement.

After Tracy earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic biathlon team earlier this month, she declined the spot so it would go to the person next in line: her twin sister, Lanny.

The twins have appeared live on NBC and CNN and in numerous newspapers in the U.S. and England. They were featured Wednesday in an ad for Irish beermaker Guinness that appeared in newspapers, on TV and online. It aired multiple times Wednesday on ESPN.

It’s a simple ad. The twins are pictured standing with their hands resting on ski poles in front of them, their skis leaning against a vehicle parked behind them. Words flash in front of them, telling the story. Then, with stirring, triumphant music playing, it says each is acting “for their sister.”

The ad was scheduled to disappear today. U.S. Olympic athletes are not allowed to appear in ads by competitors of official U.S. team sponsors. Budweiser is a team sponsor.

“The Guinness team will honor Tracy and her sister by making a monetary donation via Guinness Gives Back to a training fund in their honor,” according to a news release Wednesday from Alice Hennessy of Taylor Strategy, which represents Guinness.

The Winter Olympics will be held Feb. 7-23 in Sochi, Russia.

Jan 15, 2014
Barnes twins to make TV appearances
Jan 13, 2014
Tracy Barnes sends her twin to Olympics


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