Vale Bru, a South African craft beer company, has come under fire for a blatantly sexist branding and marketing campaign. The company, who in light of all this year’s feminist movements and accomplishments, thought it was okay to name their beers “Filthy Brunette”‚ “Easy Blonde”‚ “Ripe Redhead” and “Raven Porra”.
While the “Filthy Brunette” beer was marketed with the tagline: “When gushing and moist are used to describe something, then you know.” The “Easy Blonde” read: “All your friends have already had her.” And “Raven Porra” was promoted as “a porter with the best head in town”. According to South Africa’s Times Live and the BBC, Porra is a derogatory term for someone of Portuguese origin.
The misogynistic campaign was spotted by craft beer blogger, Thandi Guilherme of Craft Geek, who called out Vale Bru saying they “should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. Crass, sexist, misogynistic branding and labelling”.
A post shared by Thandi Guilherme(@craftgeekza) on Jun 4, 2018 at 12:23pm PDT
Vale Bru issued a first apology that has since been deleted from their social media accounts but read: “Our attempt at making you‚ and ourselves‚ uncomfortable‚ worked. However‚ we never meant to belittle or degrade you. If those keyboard crusaders want to carry on‚ feel free.”
BBC reports that Thandi later took to her blog to state: “#Metoo, Rape culture and Trump’s ‘locker room’ misogyny are not funny. These are real problems that society is trying to deal with. Don’t go there.”
While South African blogger, Lucy Corne, wrote: “I understand that sex sells‚ but these names don’t hint at respectful sex. Maybe they should have asked themselves whether these are things that they would appreciate people saying about their little sister.”
Vale Bru has since issued a second apology stating that the branding will be removed “with immediate effect”. The statement read:
“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.”
The company has also invited women to “meet and discuss a more rewarding outcome which garners positive sentiment, rather than divisive dissonance”. Adding: “The beer is on us if you agree to meet”.
Now, would you be comfortable sharing a beer with a group of people that thought it was okay to refer to women “filthy”, “easy”, “ripe”, and the “best head in town”? Somehow we don’t think so…
To the women that stood up and brought this campaign down, we raise our glasses to you (just not glasses of Vale Bru).
Taken from GLAMOUR UK. Read the original here.
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