A craft brewing company has been forced to pull its beers from stores and restaurants and make a public apology after misogynistic marketing caused a social media storm.
South African beer company Vale Bru copped backlash for its "sexist" campaign promoting new beverages including those reportedly named Filthy Brunette, Easy Blonde, and Ripe Redhead.
The brand which described itself as "bold, direct, zero f***s given" attached the tagline to its Easy Blonde: "All your friends have already had her."
Other on-brand phrases like "the best head in town" and insinuations about sexual maturation also appeared to be used in Instagram posts.
South African craft beer blogger Thandi Guilherme, from Gauteng - the same province of the Vale Bru brand - slammed the company, sharing screen grabs of the offending posts with those following her craftgeekza Instagram account.
She said the brewer "should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. Crass, sexist, misogynistic branding and labelling."
"Sexy is not always sexist - know the difference," she added.
Other beer bloggers agreed, calling on Vale Bru to clean up its act.
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The brewery initially responded to the backlash with a social media statement apologising "to any ladies out there we have offended", but also lashing out at "keyboard crusaders".
"Our attempt at making you‚ and ourselves‚ uncomfortable‚ worked. However‚ we never meant to belittle or degrade you," it read.
But Vale Bru later deleted the post, along with pictures and messaging around the offending beers. On Thursday it issued a second statement "apologising unreservedly" and promising to immediately remove the beers in question from the market, and rebrand the products.
The company also called on the women it had offended, asking for suggestions on how to make its products more community inclusive - even offering to shout them a beer.
7 News / Newshub.
