The penalty though… not so bad. I mean, it seems like the penalty fits the crime.
I don’t know… is a sexy label necessarily objectifying?
In one sense, yeah, I guess. I wouldn’t buy a beer just because I think that the woman on the label is attractive.
The name, the brewery and the label can get me to buy one… or 4-6 though.
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.
I agree that it’s a tough line to walk. The line has yet to be drawn in any other area. But the risk of over correction doesn’t bother me. That line of argument is just too reminiscent of all the other justifications of sexism/racism/etc. that I see every day.
This isn’t just “locker room talk”, right?
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Yeah that’s their wink, wink, nudge nudge, excuse too. “The obvious lazy and tasteless double entendre is totally not meant to be a double entendre!”
I’m less bothered by that one simply because it is just that. Lazily tasteless. But there are some truly gross ones out there. Like that PD stuff? Yeah its called Panty Dropper (but not really! There’s a “funny” label explaining all the other things it could be! HA PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY!). And a women with her underpants down on the label… And they make fruit ales under the assumption that women like fruit flavored beer… And there are a few dozen other beers that go by variations of the name “Panty Dropper” most of them high ABV beers. Its basically like calling your beer “The date rape beer”.
Aside from being straight gross this shit isn’t even good marketing. From what I’ve heard such labeling actually lowers sales overall. And the craft beer boom is being driven in part by increased beer consumption by women. Particularly those young, socially conscious millennials that won’t get off our lawns. Being the boobie beer isn’t exactly enticing to that market. And the standards of graphic design in the craft beer world are already pretty shit to begin with.
That style of design seems to be going out of fashion in the beer business and has been for a while. Labels that look like your nephew put them together and then some creep slapped some hot chicks on it don’t apparently work very well at market.
Here’s a sample of some of the most recent labels out my locals. All of which are less than 10 years old:
The older, uglier and nastier labeling seems to be a hold over from earlier days of the craft brew movement. And only persists in certain breweries that have been doing it this way for a couple decades or more.
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I guess it’s more like, maybe a degree of objectification is OK, balanced against a reasonable appreciation of artistic merit, context, intent and so on.
Better off without any of it, true – but it’s good when policies make it easier to pick straightforward battles rather than invite difficult ones.
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along with avoiding advertisements that encourage things like underage consumption
Oh yes. Because underage drinkers are notorious for being sucked into microbrews with eye catching labels - whose 6-pack costs more than 24 cans of the cheapest swill in the store.
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So, I thought about this when I was typing the sentence, but felt anyone reading would understand…“you” is not necessarily YOU. its a general use pronoun. I will rephrase…
My question is always this: Is there actual offense or is someone looking to be offended?
I am not in anyway dismissing your or anyone else’s opinion. I also specifically spoke about and from my own perspective, at no point stating I am right or have a copyright on what is good or bad about beer label/naming choices. I even expressly stated that if anyone feels this is an important hot topic item to them and they want to pursue it…go for it. I am not stopping them.
The only thing I will state specifically to your stance is that you are inferring something on me that I never stated nor alluded to. I not once stated you are a raging bitch. But thank you for making assumptions about my thought process and intentions.
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There’s sort of a tradition of putting women on beer.
And maybe brewers learned that sex sells.
There’s also an urge among brewers to maintain a sort of consistency. Here’s a local brewery that makes a damn fine porter (as well as some beers I haven’t tried.)
and a belgian beer
and an IPA
but if you start with a beer called “Rocket Tits”, and it sells well, are you going to eventually make ten sexist beers?
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Hm, yeah, well put.
I really love the label designs from two of my local breweries: http://www.revivalbrewing.com/ and http://www.foolproofbrewing.com/beers
I know someone will of course look at their labels and find some issue, because someone always does. Simple designs, straightforward to the naming of each brew. The names are all perfectly fine in my book.
And both breweries make excellent ales.
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I can’t get past the bathroom reference though. No matter what it tastes like I’m sure that I would smell urinal cake while drinking.
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Really conflicted here… If the goal was to crack down on sexist beer labeling, I applaud the effort. However, the language in the code states:
So, this is really a crack down on using “adult themes” to advertise an adult beverage. At least to me, It appears to be more of a prudish ban on sex, rather than sexism.
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This isn’t really a question. It’s a round about way of suggesting that my opinion is not valid, and is instead driven by a desire to be offended.
That IS a dismissal. You did not expressly use the words “raging bitch”, I did. Because when men call women “raging bitches”, they are dismissing the woman’s feelings and expressions of those feelings as invalid, or “looking to be offended.”
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I have no idea why you seem to have taken my entire statements personally, but good luck with whatever resolution you are seeking. Good day.
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I think as in all things its that there’s not neccisarily anything wrong with a few raunchy jokes or pinups on a label. Its a combination of the precise expression and its pervasiveness. When so many beer labels feature supposed sexy images of ladies, raunchy non-jokes, etc. And a good proportion of them are pretty negative towards women (and in a really narrow and specific way). It creates an overall impression that’s pretty bad. And an environment that’s not exactly welcoming to ideas that are in the same vein but in another direction. Like I don’t know how many craft beer stores are gonna get excited about stocking limited edition hot guy bottles. MEANWHILE places like Walmart will absolutely refuse to carry any of these beers, negatively impacting craft and independent brewery market share. Boobs on the label is smart at business!
Even something like Raging Bitch isn’t going to stand out as a problem until its sitting on a shelf next to 30 bottles with the same damn pinup in revealing liederhosen and sexualized names.
The high school students working at my restaurant all drink craft beer and craft cider (or “craft” they’re mostly the ones own by InBev).
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Incredible that you can say that given the words you have written.
Charmed.
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And which craft brewers would that be?
I am an avid craft beer drinker and i immediately take a pass on breweries that seem like they’re trying too hard to pander to their audience. I’ve seen the Clown Shoes brews and never had any inclination to pick one up, there’s a few others that like using very colorful labels that also make me suspicious. The beers may be good but i like beers that are genuinely interesting and seeing labels with good classic designs or a good clean look is what determines i try them out if i’m not familiar with them.
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