An apology from the Editor of Australian Brews News.
At Australian Brews News we pride ourselves on having a voice and letting our readers know what we think. However, I went too far yesterday when I described the work undertaken by CUB’s marketing team as merely involving ‘thinking up new ways to put lipstick on a pig’.
My intention was to indicate that I thought the way in which CUB had communicated its one-off release of Brisbane Bitter and Bulimba Gold Top wasn’t quite accurate. I intended to suggest that the company was dressing up its real reason for releasing the beer in a way that sought to present the release as being something more than it was. In my desire to use a creative verbal flourish to engage the reader, I chose a commonly-used and colourful simile.
I accept that some readers may have come to the conclusion that I was suggesting that the beers made by CUB were ‘pigs’ in a way that could be taken as implying that the beers themselves were of a lower production quality than they actually are. This was not my intention and, while I think that the meaning of the sentence was clear from the context, I apologise if any misunderstandings resulted.
I also apologise unreservedly to the marketing staff at CUB for the hurt that my attempt at levity may have caused. I should not have associated individuals with my attempt at humour. In doing so my remarks may have caused hurt and distress. This was not my intention and I am genuinely sorry.
Sincerely
Matt Kirkegaard, Editor.
PS. Now that we all seem to agree that inaccurately using words to provide a creative flourish can leave the reader with a false impression, would you mind ending your $5-million campaign for Crown Lager that clearly suggests that the beer only has four ingredients? Or even just change the wording? It won’t take much from that $5 million budget to change the copy to include the words “and cane sugar” and “Sixth”. No return apology necessary.
No apology necessary.
The problem with marketing is that it is generally quite selective in the bits it includes and excludes – which gives others a false impression.
It’s simple (go to AHB forums – persons are discussing it there as well) – they tried to trot out that it’s “for the fans” when in fact they were holding onto brand names and charging more for the privelege.
The beers are (by all accounts) good beers, and far better than the swill CUB are producing at the moment.
But to expect an apology from someone reporting that brand name portfolios and not love for the consumer, is the main motivator treats the consumer like an idiot.
It’s like going to Red Rooster and the posters saying “our chicken is made with love” – um…. the snotty, barely verbal teen giving me said chicken, I can assure you, has no amorous feelings toward me, nor does the fat bird out the back.
Maybe it should read “we make love with our chicken”.
Thanks for the laugh Matt.
Fosters actually made you write an apology??
Whatever happened to free speech.
Appalling
Hi Craig. No one solicited an apology or requested that I do it. We do try to be fair despite being opinionated, and I just thought I had overstepped the mark. But then again, I think CUB has as well.
Instead of focusing on CUB catching on to the trend of creating short lifeterm brands like craft brewers do with seasonals . I was hoping that Matt would of written about the demise of KB as a brand in NSW .
http://www.adnews.com.au/adnews/foster-s-kills-off-kb
Don’t worry Matt, it adieu, not good-bye. At some stage they’lll be re-released because “having them available only occasionally as a blast from the past is part of the romance.” That, and they need to pull them out and dust them off from time-to-time so that the trade mark doesn’t lapse.
at least we now know what they mean by time being the 5th ingredient
Ah well, at least you didn’t mention “pearls before swine” in your apology. I think they missed the point.
Just bunging beer in a fancy bottle doesn’t make it any the nicer. There are far better lager on the market than Crown lager. And in many cases cheaper.
I believe you may have been better using the description as “fur coat and no knickers.”
Slainte.
Personaly the pig is without doubt the most versatile, the tastiest and greatest of all ingredients available to man and woman to cook with and to eat. Me thinks using the word pig in conjunction with CUB beer and quality is a grave misnomer and quite frankly you owe pigs of Australia, indeed the world, an appology for draging their good and honest name down in the mud!
I unreservedly apologise to Porky and all of his ilk.