I don’t normally use my platform here to shit-talk local breweries to, you know, all 8 of my loyal readers. But every once in a while I see something that riles me up to the point where I have to sit at a keyboard and yell a little. Palo Alto Brewing Company’s beer label “art” is one of them. I don’t know anyone at this company and I’m sure they’re perfectly nice people but at least one of their beers needs rebranding like YESTERDAY.
It starts out merely silly. I’ve previously discussed my feelings about cartoon titties on beer labels…it’s a weirdly puerile way for a company to market itself to adults over 21, but I’m not offended by human anatomy. With that in mind, I can still poke fun. Let’s take a look at all of Palo Alto’s brands currently on its website, starting with the first two images I ever saw from them.
Okay, I get it. Sex sells, so sex probably sells beer. Ha ha, “Barley Legal”…sex with 18-year-olds sells beer. Ha ha, “Hoppy Ending”…hand jobs for money sell beer. Right. gross, moving on.
The topless chick standing on a mountain of skulls is a little weird, but at least we’re not joking about prostitution or near-statutory rape anymore and they’ve got a naked dude in there too so at least what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Fine. Topless chicks sell beer. Lingerie sells beer. Beefcake sells beer. Outrage declining.
Get it? They’re cool beans! They’re, like, the Run-DMC of coffee beans. Because they’re brown and the one in front is wearing a gold chain and also they can’t spell. Wait, is that not what you meant? Sorry, I went to college in the 90s, maybe I’m being a little overly PC here. I’m fine. Making fun of other cultures Hip-hop sells beer.
But wait. Wait wait wait.
What the hell is this? Hostage? And THAT’S the label? Tying people up and holding them hostage sells beer? Great, I’ll take two Ariel Castro Ales. (Too soon?) Fuck, dude. You can’t say “kush” or “kronic” on a beer label but you can do THAT?
Not funny. Not clever. Not good marketing. Just icky.
That is all.
Is there a promotion where proceeds go to victims of human trafficking? Otherwise i don’t get it. Given their other labels this just seems rapey.
SOMEONE had to say it!!
Thanks Jen – I don’t like picking on little local breweries either, but this kind of stuff can stand to be called out. Maybe they should consider how this might not be so appealing to potential drinkers – particularly females, but also guys who are past puberty.
Jen, I like the way your brain works. I’ll buy you a beer with a non PC label on it next time I see you!
On it’s own, its just another crappy beer label with a “shocking” name. But totally agree with you (and Ben) … amidst all their other tacky labels this is just rape-ily creepy.
I never buy a product because of its label, but sometimes I avoid a product if I find the label offensive. I’ve never had Palo Alto Brewing’s beer, and I probably won’t any time soon. It would have to be pretty great freaking beer to get me past those adolescent fantasy inspired labels. I suppose that I would subliminally believe that the labels reflect the maturity and skill level of the brewers. If they don’t, they are doing both the brewer and the beer a grave disservice.
Yeah, I agree. The name is iffy to begin with, but the illustration? A little too far.
And this is nothing against the folks at PABC. I’ve had the Pale Ale, and it’s a fine beer. The branding is silly enough, not really too off-putting. But maybe they should have focus-grouped the IPA before putting it out there.
Hey, by my count this is six replies. Almost all of us have chimed in!
Instead of Hostage how about we suggest they rename it “Hunger Strike” India Pale Ale with a picture of Gandhi because he was from India of course and it has similar juvenile humor to their other labels. Come to think of it why would a brewery want a label that is in “bad taste”??? They might get a reputation for bad taste which is not the message you want associated with a beer that is supposed to taste good!
Craft breweries design labels just so they can stand out among Big Beer — and other microbreweries — on store shelves. I DO notice beer label art, which in turn makes me notice new-to-me breweries. So I get what PABC is trying to do here, but the labels look cheap, and the themes are tired. With women making up a bigger and bigger portion of craft beer drinkers, PABC might consider not alienating them.