James Watt: I want to help young entrepreneurs learn from Brewdog mistakes April 3, 2023 Most public figures who have found themselves embroiled in the number of scandals that James Watt, the chief executive of craft beer firm BrewDog, has managed would by now surely have retreated from the public spotlight. However, that is not Watt’s style. The outspoken founder of the Punk IPA brand is once again generating his [...]
Brewdog’s China deal shows the limits of ESG virtue-signalling February 21, 2023 O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to make commercial hay from a human rights campaign, as Walter Scott very nearly wrote. Brewdog are the latest example of a brand which has made much of its holier than thou culture – only to ditch it in full when the reward is [...]
Punk IPA will be sold in ‘every corner of China’ following BrewDog Budweiser partnership February 20, 2023 The joint venture will see the Scottish craft beer company sell its most popular brands such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice across the country from March 2023.
BrewDog in the dock as watchdog bans controversial ‘one of your five a day’ ad December 7, 2022 An ad for BrewDog has been banned over a “tongue-in-cheek” claim that its fruit-flavoured beers constitute “one of your five a day”. An email, dated July 20, featured the subject heading “One of your five a day”, and advertised beers with names that included Lost In Guava, Pineapple Punch, and Lost In Lychee & Lime. [...]
BrewDog ad banned for branding beer ‘one of your five a day’ December 7, 2022 A BrewDog advert has been banned by the industry watchdog after it branded beer as “one of your five a day” in a marketing email. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the claim was misleading, suggesting that consumers could be confused by the messaging. The body of the email featured the heading “FEELING FRUITY” in [...]
BrewDog gives up B-Corp social and environmental certificate December 1, 2022 BrewDog has given up its B-Corp certificate recognising its social and environmental impact because the organisation which gives it, B Lab, “requested additional measures”. The beer-maker said in an internal statement seen by City A.M., that “we have decided to step aside from our B Corp certification for the time being.” The brand it gave [...]
Top dog at BrewDog to replace Simon Longbottom as boss of Stonegate November 9, 2022 One of BrewDog’s top bosses is leaving the brewer to head one of the country’s largest pub chains, Stonegate. David McDowall, BrewDog’s president and chief operating officer, is to take up the reins at the Slug & Lettuce chain, it was first reported by Sky News. Stonegate, which operates 4,500 pubs across the country, confirmed [...]
BrewDog signed beer distribution deal in Qatar despite ‘anti-sponsorship’ campaign November 8, 2022 BrewDog has signed a deal with an alcohol distributor operating in Qatar, despite launching an ‘anti-sponsorship’ campaign this week protesting human rights in the country ahead of the World Cup. The firm’s beers are distributed in the country by the Qatar Distribution Company – a state-owned subdsidiary of Qatar Airways – which is the only [...]
Qatar World Cup: BrewDog slammed for ‘disingenuous’ gesture giving profits to charity November 7, 2022 BrewDog has been slammed for launching a “disingenuous” ‘anti-sponsorship’ campaign for the Qatar World Cup, donating profits to charities but continuing to show the tournament. The brand said it would show the World Cup at its outlets but “all the profits from our Lost Lager sold during the tournament going to fight human rights abuse.” [...]
Brewdog boss calls for emergency tax relief as pubs stare down ‘existential threat’ of high bills September 5, 2022 Brewdog CEO James Watt has called for emergency tax relief for the hospitality industry as pubs battle the “genuinely existential threat” of rising energy bills. Last week, the Scottish brewer and bar group announced it would be closing six outlets across the UK, including three in London, due to elevated headwinds. The situation facing pubs [...]