George Orwell once said "Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket." This is how I feel about the way that Shepherd Neame advertises. Shepherd Neame brews pretty good beer, but I really do find their advertising very distasteful. Distasteful to the point where, I would recommend that, you don’t drink their beer.
First up are the adverts for Spitfire Ale which mainly concentrate on themes based on racist stereotypes from World War 2. I like to think that Britain is now one of the more successful multi-racial societies in this world. Unfortunately this sort of thing does nothing to encourage harmony only reinforcing the beliefs of xenophobes.
Then there are the adverts for Bishops Finger. They feature, what can best be described as, buxom wenches, making suggestive offers regarding the afore mentioned clerical appendage. Now I'm not a prude - and I'm quite partial to the double entendre - but I do think this sexist and degrading type of approach is most uncalled for. Plus, don’t they know that ale is a uni-sex product?
I can hear "red-blooded" homosapien beer drinkers shouting abuse at the screen right now. Comments like, "political correctness gone mad" etc, etc. But I don't care. These sort of things need to be challenged. They effect perceptions - sometimes overtly and sometimes in a subliminal way. They also help to reinforce prejudices about beer drinkers as being oaf-ish, uncouth working-class fat blokes. Not that I'd want to suggest there is anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are oaf-ish, uncouth, working-class fat blokes. Phew! But if we are to win people over to the joys of beer, we need to move away from the lad-ish association that, in my opinion, this sort of advertising portrays.
I’ve have complained to the advertising standards authority about a particular Spitfire advert. I’ll let you know if and when I hear any more about that. On their website Shepherd Neame claim to have "values and standards" and, whilst you can't say they don't, I think you can quite legitimately question just how low they possibly are!
Come on Shepherd Neame clean up your act.
Comments
Stonch - October 8, 2007 6:07 PM
Well, Paul, you haven't pulled any punches! I hear what you say, and I find the whole campaign very crass. Although I think the campaign is a mistake, a few of the individual ads have made me laugh - the picture of the guy holding the cocktail with an umbrella in it accompanied by the caption "you stupid boy!" (a reference to WWII-based sitcom "Dad's Army" for non-British readers) was priceless.
The Bishop's Finger ads are just creepy. I know for a fact that one of the models used is in porn of the low class variety (which is just about any British porn, to be honest).
Paul of Suffolk - October 9, 2007 11:13 AM
Isn't it strange how Dad's makes me laugh but unfortunately SN ads don't. I just feel that their methods are very tabloid and perhaps their potential clientele deserve a bit more respect than that.
Zythophile - October 11, 2007 6:50 AM
Come on guys -
Get
A
Life.
It's <i>meant</i> to be incorrect humour, and if that offends you, I'm afraid the fault really is with you, not them.
Alan - October 11, 2007 8:47 AM
I have to admit, I find them Pythonesque (or perhaps Fawlty Towers as in the "don't mention the war stuff") but have to admit I know practically nothing of the current lay of the land in which these ads are placed. Particularly, I see no references to <i>Time Team</i>, apparently the last vestige of empire here in Canada. Well, that and the common law.
The Beer Nut - October 15, 2007 6:08 PM
I haven't seen any of these ads, but I do think that that Spitfire one is a lot less offensive than naming a beer after a mechanised bringer of death in the first place.
Mark - February 28, 2008 10:52 AM
<small><small><small><small>Oh dear. Paul, I see the word England in brackets after your name. This makes me feel ashamed, if not a little angry, that I must respond to your post in the first place. Who are the "racist stereotypes" you refer to? Perhaps anyone who had the good sense to admire and defend their country from invasion at the time? You'd do as well to remember that if we had not defeated incoming German aircraft at the Battle of Britain you and I might well be suffering under the weight of an unwanted occupation.</small></small></small></small> If a brewer wishes to celebrate our freedom by naming a beer after the very device that scuppered German plans, then I say "well done"! Also, buxom wenches have never offended me<small><small><small><small> - it's not their fault they are buxom, right? Thankfully there are still some respectful and grateful brands out there that won't bow and scrape to your rather dull and ill-founded observations. Also I believe the Spitfire brew predates political correctness by several decades. While Shepherd and Neame are at renaming and rebranding their ales at your behest, perhaps you'd now like to turn your attention to that German evening class. I hope your approach to the ASA was met with curious indifference.</small></small></small></small>
Alan - February 28, 2008 12:23 PM
And how boring of you in return, Mark. Third rate personal slurs from someone who hasn't the decency to identify themselves have no part here. I am going to edit your comments down to see if there is anything of interest left.
Alan - February 28, 2008 12:38 PM
There - that is what you meant to say, oh handpuppet.
Kentish man - March 19, 2008 8:56 AM
Well I happen to agree with you Mark, and most of you I think, although im not going to get too drawn into the 'if it wasnt for us you'd all be speaking german' line... The Spitfire is symbolic of Kent now as much as the White Horse (Invicta) ever was, and rightly so as it is a symbol to be proud of. The adverts, which range from the brilliant 'Victoria Cross' to mocking Hitler are very definitely tongue in cheek but at the same time displaying a pride in what this small corner (and all) of the country achieved. There is no shame in it and there is nothing wrong in mocking the fact that Fokke Wulfs were inferior ('No Fokke comes close') or Hitler, who apparantly wasn't much fun and had unbalanced testicles so he deserves it. I honestly cannot believe that anyone would genuinely be offended by these, I mean do you really, really believe that this is some kind of quasi-BNP styled campaign aimed at little-englanders, or a bit of fun that stands head and shoulders above most adverts out there?
It also tastes better than all that mass-produced, chemical infused foreign muck that they're importing these days, probably from germ...Im JOKING!
Paul - March 19, 2008 10:30 AM
Gosh, this one continues to run and run. It seems to touch a nerve. I hate fascism like any other sane person and in its own little way this is fascist advertising. Real Ale needs a wider audience. It needs to appeal across the social, cultural and gender scale. Ads like this don't help the cause!