A SOUTH African beer company is frantically backpeddling on the marketing for its new line of craft beer after women called it “full sexist”
Vale Bru, a small Johannesburg craft company, yesterday issued a lengthy, second apology for the way it described and labelled four of its craft beers.
“When gushing and moist are used to describe something, then you know,” the company wrote to describe its Filthy Brunette India Pale Ale.
Launching its new Easy Blonde beer, the company wrote: “All your friends have had her”.
The South African company also launched a porter beer called “Raven Porra”, a derogatory term used in the African country, and a “Ripe Redhead”.
“This little lady was previously a Ginger Pikey. Since changing her ways, and maturing, she’s become our Ripe Redhead,” the company described it.
Every post ended with “#ZeroF**ksGiven”.
Hours after the post, the company was getting slammed on social media.
Thandi Guilherme, the author of beer blog Craft Geek, said the company had gone “full sexist” with its new marketing.
“Vale Bru, you should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. Crass, sexist, misogynistic branding and labelling,” she added on Instagram.
Another South African blogger Lucy Corne, author of Brew Mistress, urged her readers to “not support this bulls**t” and issued a challenge to the beer company.
“I understand that sex sells‚ but these names don’t hint at respectful sex,” she wrote.
“Maybe they should have asked themselves whether these are things that they would appreciate people saying about their little sister.
“To you, Vale Bru, I lay down a challenge. Be brave: admit that your labels are tone deaf and do something about them. Tone down the ‘f**k you’ marketing, learn a little about the product that you’re attempting to sell and have the balls to apologise in a grown up way.”
After the backlash, the company issued a first apology, but it made things worse. It ended up deleting it from Instagram.
“We aim to make our beer fun and we want our loyal followers to engage with us. Our attempt at making you‚ and ourselves‚ uncomfortable‚ worked. However‚ we never meant to belittle or degrade you,” the Johannesburg company wrote.
“If those keyboard crusaders want to carry on‚ feel free.”
Yesterday, the company posted its second apology, telling its customers it was removing all names and labels from marketing and offered free beer to any woman willing to talk to the company about why the ads were hurtful.
“It is never easy admitting to being wrong but at Vale we have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and our loyal fans,” the company wrote.
“We were insensitive and wrong, for which we apologise unreservedly. We take full accountability for our actions and we plan on making things right.
“Although this may sound like lip service, it was never our intention to offend or prejudice any person or industry. As fathers, brothers and husbands, casting aspersions on gender was never and will never be who we are at Vale. We also understand that our first attempt at an apology was misdirected.”