I recently had an email from a marketing company asking me if I would like a case of beer for my self and a case of beer for one of you lucky readers. All it involved was posting a link to the beer’s website and embedding a teaser video for their latest campaign….Great I thought, that was until i saw the adverts and the video.
Is this the best way to advertise your beer?
The website in question is Spitfire Ale brewed by Shepherd Neame. While the website is nicely put together and uses lots of nice animation there are some really cool bits to it and it’s generally a really nicely made website that they have obviously spent a few quid on.
Now comes the BUT, this question has been asked and discussed before, is poking fun at the war and Germans really the best way to sell a beer?
Call me a party pooper or an old fart (go on you know you want to), i like a laugh as much as the next guy but, with the exception of one or two of the adverts they are all sailing pretty close to the wind. Is it really necessary to use terms like “No Fokker Comes Close” and “Downed all over Kent just like the Luftwaffe” along with the video showing bottles with with German markings crashing into the sea.
Now while like the recent Brewdog campaign it’s most likely been done with no intention of upsetting anyone and all just for a bit of fun, I can’t help feel it is a little misguided and the wrong way to go about it, I mean you wouldn’t bring out a beer and use the current war in Iraq/Afghanistan or one of the many terrorist acts or natural disasters that have happned over the years to promote a beer would you?
English eccentricity
So why do people keep thinking it’s a good idea to sell their beer by poking fun at the war?
Surely there is enough creative talent within marketing agencies and breweries to come up with a less childish and potentially offensive advertising campaign.
I much prefer the positive campaign that Wells Bombardier have gone with, not only are they running a Champion of England competition their advertising, is quirky and clever, choosing to show famous and infamous English people and eccentricities, for me these stand out for the right reasons.
So as you can imagine I gracefully declined the offer of a free case for my self but I realise that some of you reading this will be more interested in the free beer than my feelings on the advertising campaign and it happens Shepherd Neame still want to give one of you lucky readers a case of their Spitfire Ale, all you need to do is send the answer to the following question to toby@the7thchamber.com.
The question is “Which famous English landmark features in the Bottle of Britain film?”
And while we are on the subject of advertising what are everyone’s favourite/least favourite advertising campaigns by breweries?
Racist & sexist – the whole ‘her indoors’ comment is deeply irritating – it’s just not the kind of approach that appeals to me at all; I turned down the offer when I saw what the brand was.
I’ll have some free beer. No morals, me.
I thought the whole Carling “Belong” campaign was very dodgy, partly because it was very close to violating the guideline that suggests alcohol should not be linked with social success, but also that it was a bit too much like having posters everywhere that said “OBEY!”
It’s the best way to advertise beer to a certain type of person, but not me. Although I have to admit I did laugh out loud at one line in the movie, I get tired of this kind of tabloidism. Most Germans I know (after talking to quite a few about the Bismarck movie) just shrug their shoulders and accept that this is “British humour”. But as one German brewer said, they can’t play the war card as it’s just distasteful, and given the country’s history, people would find it unacceptable.
But the issue gents, isn’t one of distasteful business practice, but of free beer.
The world contains many things I don’t like, and the question must be asked how the world can be improved? How does declining free beer improve the world? Take the free grog and shrug your shoulders, for we are the pawns in this game not the bishops, knights or rooks.
If asked, tell them there advertising is crap. Don’t buy products if the advert offends you. But always take the free beer.
Thanks for the comments guys (and girl)
Cookie – For the record I did tell them what i think, plus i know they have seen this post ;o) i know free beer is free beer, next time ill get them to send it on to you ;op
Zak – I didn’t remember that Carling Ad, so I will have to look at it tonight!
Hi!! I think I’ve made my opinions on the whole Brewdog Bismark debacle and this is no different – it’s sexist and racist and has no place in modern marketing whatever the product – I can’t help thinking if you’re sinking to this base level you’re struggling for creativity
The Carling ad is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHHfynLYW1I my opinion is different, not because I’m a corporate kiss ass, I think you know me better than that, I think this ad is brave but maybe too early for Carling in it’s journey moving from purely product placed ads. It’s obviously in line with CAP and Portman guidelines, it doesn’t suggest to me that Carling leads to social prowess but more that beer is better enjoyed together – I think I’m not alone in agreeing with that sentiment
I think I’ll enter the competition in the hopes of winning a crate of Spitfire and bringing it to Germany. Could drink it with my colleagues while watching the ads again and again 🙂
Oh, forgot to say, Kristy, that the use of the word “Belong” in a beer ad doesn’t suggest to me that beer is better enjoyed together. It suggests more that if you don’t drink this brand, you’re an outsider :\
Like it or not, this kind of mentality is mainstream so it’s not surprising when a mainstream brand does it; it doesn’t appeal to me at all, in fact it puts me off, but there are millions of Sun and Loaded readers who’ll lap it up, and their money is as good as anyone else’s. We are used to lame adverts from mainstream brewers; I was disappointed when BrewDog started this kind of stuff, because I do expect better from them.
Having just watched the Carling advert, I rather like it, and the only thing wrong with it is that it’s for Carling. The Spitfire campaign is juvenile and unoriginal – I remember the Fokker joke from a student rag mag in the 1970s – as is the BrewDog one. You were right to refuse the free beer.
Thanks to everyone for their comments and input, and Andy for helping me to do my job, Marketing aside giving away free beer is not the worst job in the world!
Well, I got an e-mail saying I won a case of Spitfire. I assume via here or Ed’s site. Receiving free beer is not the worst job in the world either, although I got no reply after telling them I live in Germany. So, no real desire to send spitfires back into German territory? 🙂
i’ve emailed them to see who won and not heard anything back, I hope the honour their word, ill check with scoop and see if he received the cases for his help for heroes picnic as they should have sent the case the offered me there too.
I think that these add for Spitfire are fine, they have been running for a long time and therefore must pass ASA rules. They are meant to be tong in cheek and their target market are the type of sensible people who realise this. The larger drinking louts who wouldn’t get the joke aren’t going to be queuing up to buy this ale.
As for the Germans they do, despite their best efforts to hide it, have a sense of humour and the majority of them would not find this offensive.
Thanks for the comments Bruce!
I’d forgotten about that. Never did receive anything from them. They said they couldn’t send a full crate, but promised a few bottles and other bits and pieces. Meh!