News Do Political Beer Brands Work? Maybe (Not)

Scottish brewer Brewdog has released a beer called ’Hello My Name Is (Unelected) Boris’ to protest the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend parliament. But even though Johnson’s political move has been almost universally condemned,  consumers’ reactions haven’t been all that positive.

James Watt, CEO and founder of Brewdog, said in an article in ‘the drinks business’ that “We know the best way to bring people together in uncertain times is with incredible craft beer. So instead of a placard, we’ve put our passion for craft into making this iconic beer for us all to drink while we wait for democracy to turn up again.”

However, within an hour of Brewdog announcing the launch on social media, negative comments began piling in, with many users saying they would steer clear of the brand after it decided to venture into politics.

Daniel Hooper, director at drinks marketing agency YesMore, told the drinks business he found it “surprising” how many people were put off by the stunt. He noted that politics and beer are inherently intertwined. “Whether by lobbying behind the scenes or more overt things such as Tim Martin of Wetherspoons support of Brexit, the Brewdog “protest” beers, or the creation of IPA beer in the first place, to ship out to colonial Brits in India – you can’t separate the two.”

But releasing a beer as a political statement can also backfire. “It has to fit with the brand,” Hooper said.

To top