Brewdog cancels all events and supply with partner Scofflaw after promotion for ‘Trump supporters’

Brewdog has announced it has cancelled all events and supply from partners Scofflaw after it attempted to run a promotion offering free beer for “Trump supporters” at Brewdog pubs.

The pub operator had previously announced a collaboration with the brewer to stock its beer in its pubs and run promotional events. Scofflaw announced its own marketing material however, which read: “Free beer offered to UK Trump supporters this weekend by contentious US brewery ’Scofflaw’.

“This weekend see’s redneck US brewers Scofflaw (known as the ‘Jackass brand of the brewing industry’) partner with badass beer brand Brewdog to launch in the UK. The self-confessed ‘trailer trash’ brewers are renowned in the states for their lawless attitude and have landed in London today – their aim?

“To get the UK ‘beered up redneck style’, completely free of charge! But there is a hook… you have to be a Trump supporter. Scofflaw are putting tens of thousands of pounds behind Brewdog bars in Shoreditch, Soho, Shepherd’s Bush, Tower Hill, Manchester and Leeds over the next 7 days and are intending to crash onto the UK beer scene with their tagline: ‘There’s a little dissent in everything we do’.

“The brewers will also be doing various activities over the coming week including demolishing beer can pillars in a monster truck and beer can clay pigeon shooting.”

Brewdog issued a statement on Twitter condemning the promotion and said it had been announced “without our knowledge or consent” and added that it was “in no way aligned with their position”.

https://twitter.com/BrewDog/status/1045275074260029441

American brewer, Scofflaw has since condemned the promotion issuing a statement which said it was “misrepresented” by British PR company Frank, adding it was “outraged” by its actions.

https://twitter.com/ScofflawBrewing/status/1045667135979180032

Frank has also issued a statement claiming the campaign was published “without Scofflaw’s approval” and said it had suspended the employee responsible. Frank said: “We apologise to Scofflaw, BrewDog and anyone that may have been offended by these actions.”

https://twitter.com/WelcomeToFrank/status/1045650637697032192

The incident is not the first time Brewdog has come under fire for its promotional campaigns, in March it created a pink IPA which it claimed was “for girls” ahead of International Women’s Day, and in August when it launched a “beer porn” channel.

Catering Today has contacted Brewdog for further comment with updates to follow.