US brewer apologises for offence. NZ brewer doesn’t
US brewery drops reference to Maori King
An American boutique brewery has dropped the title Maori King for one of the beers following criticism of the name.
The brewery, Funkwerks of Colorado, says it did not intend to disrespect the Maori people or their culture by calling the beer Maori King and has now changed the name of the beer to Southern Tropic.
Funkwerks’ co-founder Brad Lincoln says the brewery came up with the name because it was using Rakau hops – a new variety of hops unique to New Zealand – in the brewing the beer.
Tainui kaumatua Mamae Takerei has called the name insulting, and said the brewery should have done its research before deciding on it.
© RadioNZ 2011
Brewery takes aim at Pakistanis
An Auckland brewery’s marketing campaign fronted by Black Caps star Daryl Tuffey has been labelled “offensive” and “insulting”.
The Moa Brewing Co’s marketing, which is signed off by Tuffey, described it as a “Genuine all-rounder for Moa Beer”. It also details an offer to consumers for one free case of beer for every 10 purchased.
It likens the deal to numerous incidents involving match-fixing scandals featuring the Pakistan cricket team.
But it has been slated by Dunedin-based former Pakistan cricket international, Kahlid ‘Billy’ Ibadulla.
“I think the whole campaign is in a very bad taste. It does not reflect well on New Zealand,” Ibadulla says.
“It is quite insulting and quite offensive. That’s my view.”
He said of Tuffey’s involvement: “It is disappointing, especially coming from a former test player. It will not reflect very well on New Zealand Cricket.”
Tuffey and the Moa Brewing Co both stood by the campaign, saying it was based on proven facts.
“We are not out to offend anyone,” says Tuffey, who has been employed by the brewery for the past two months.
Moa Brewing Co marketing manager Sunil Unka added the brewery did not set out to “offend anyone”.
He says that it had been “successful in drumming up new business for us”.
The Moa Brewery Co has its brewery in Blenheim and head office in Auckland.
Filed under: Beer Makers | Tagged: Funkwerks, Moa Brewing Company, Rakau
Moa’s marketing is intentionally offensive. See also http://missingsparkles.wordpress.com/2011/08/28/ive-never-tried-moa-beer/
Not that i’m saying they _can’t_ do this shit, but the hell if i’m going to buy anymore of their beer when they keep pulling this bullshit at the expense of the LBGT community.
It’s obviously just more crap to generate intentional ‘controversy’ and thereby free media. The “backhander” has basically-nothing to do with their business, and didn’t need to be named after the entire nationality anyway — you could make the same “joke” while singling out the actual individuals involved, instead of the country they came from. But no, they’ll go for the broad-brush version, just to incite coverage.
And of course now, as pointed out above, the “Lesbians” billboard has returned, with the New Zealand Olympics Team logo on it to boot.
I really do suspect that Moa have it as a backup plan / more-than-a-backup plan that all this nonsense will get them ‘fired’ from the Olympics sponsorship. They doubtless shelled out a bunch of money for it, and will milk the ‘prestige’, but they’ll be delighted if the Olympics Committee give them the boot for being so needlessly-crass because it’ll a) generate day upon day of further coverage, and b) give them back the bullshit ‘victim’ status (“Aw, but we’re just a bunch of good blokes havin’ a larf…”) they revelled in so underservedly during the Breakfast Beer Fiasco.
I don’t think Invercargill have apologised for Men’n Skurts either…
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland/Kiwi-brewer-hopes-Scots-rugby.6810701.jp
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