BrewDog refuses to roll over for ASA
Co-founder of BrewDog, James Watt, didn't pull any punches in letting the Advertising Standards Authority know exactly what the company thought of the complaints made against the language used on their website.
Co-founder of BrewDog, James Watt, didn't pull any punches in letting the Advertising Standards Authority know exactly what the company thought of the complaints made against the language used on their website.
Popular ‘punk’ Scottish brewer, BrewDog, has found itself in hot water after The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed that a statement on Brewdog’s website was in breach of two advertising codes in relation to social responsibility as well as harm and offence.
The statement in question appeared on the front page of the website, and reads: “BrewDog is a post Punk apocalyptic mother fu*ker of a craft brewery. Say goodbye to the corporate beer whores crazy for power and world domination … Ride toward anarchy and caramel craziness. Let the sharp bitter finish rip you straight to the tits. Save up for a Luger, and drill the bastards.”
To be honest, we’re surprised no one complained sooner, but apparently the independent brewer isn’t going to bow to the ASA’s pressure, despite looking like it had taken down the statement.
BrewDog co-founder James Watt said: “We actually just took down the statement on our website to make room for the equity for punks stuff [a promotion to attract investors]. Soon, we will be putting the statement back on our website.
“We believe in freedom of speech and artistic expression. We don’t believe in mindless censorship.
“As for the ASA – those mother f****** don’t have any jurisdiction over us anyway.”
While BrewDog’s marketing campaigns might not be being carried out with the lightest of touches, they sure must be garnering a lot of publicity and website traffic, so perhaps all digital marketers have a lesson to learn here: swear more, you b*stards!
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