In 2013, BrewDog founder and CEO James Watt mentioned he’d fairly take his cash and “set fireplace to it” than pay for conventional advertising and marketing. Quick ahead 9 years and the irreverent Scottish brewer has stumped up for loads of large finances campaigns—and been issued a number of promoting bans within the course of.
This time the corporate has provoked motion by the U.Okay.’s Promoting Requirements Authority (ASA) after sending out a advertising and marketing electronic mail selling its fruit-infused IPA vary with the topic line: “One among Your 5 a Day.”
Following a single criticism from a member of the general public, the watchdog banned the communication. It claimed the e-mail “misleadingly implied alcoholic drinks counted in the direction of the 5 each day parts of fruit and greens” as really useful by the U.Okay. authorities, based mostly on steerage from the World Well being Group.
The promotional copy pushed varied beers together with BrewDog’s Hazy Jane Guava, Pineapple Punch and Misplaced in Lychee and Lime. It learn: “Summer season is effectively and actually right here. Quench your thirst whereas absorbing the solar (or rain) with our fruit-laden favorites.”
BrewDog acknowledged the beers don’t rely towards a serving of fruit and veg. Nevertheless, it argued that clients would perceive this, saying the heading was not meant to be a factual declare. It additionally claimed its viewers would perceive its “playful” advertising and marketing model and acknowledge that the comment was meant to be “tongue-in-cheek.”
Nevertheless, as a result of the declare referred to well-known authorities recommendation on well being and wellbeing, the ASA argued folks wouldn’t anticipate advertisers to make use of such language until the declare had been true. The regulator additionally mentioned the positioning of the message within the electronic mail’s topic heading meant it was a “key aspect” of the advert.
The advert should not seem once more in its present type, and the ASA warned BrewDog to not mislead clients in the identical approach once more.
Punk promotions
As a model, Aberdeen-founded BrewDog has garnered a fame as a lightning rod for controversy, racking up promoting bans for varied causes.
It’s been dinged for claiming a collection of restricted version gold-plated prized cans had been made from stable gold; hiding expletives on its billboards (“Sober as a Motherfu—” and “F**ok You CO2”); and operating a earlier “deceptive” health-related marketing campaign for its onerous seltzer line.
Extra not too long ago, BrewDog was hit with a string of allegations about its office tradition, with Watt being pressured to apologize for the way in which he’d handled workers.
In November, the enterprise declared itself the “proud anti-sponsor” of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in a collection of billboards protesting the human rights document of host nation Qatar.
On the similar time the corporate, which additionally runs greater than 80 pubs throughout the U.Okay., is constant broadcast matches to patrons all through the four-week playoffs. It has been advertising and marketing its fan zones as “the right place to benefit from the Soccer World Cup this yr.”
In response to questions on its plan to each protest and showcase the World Cup, BrewDog mentioned it didn’t need to forestall followers from watching the matches.
