The controversial brewers Shepherd Neame seem to be trying to be too clever by half, in their latest advert in the London Evening Standard for their mediocre Spitfire Ale.
Placed in exactly the same spot on the back page, directly under the Quick Crossword and the Sudoku puzzle, this latest attempt at humour
appears to make a cryptic reference to their similarly placed and very offensive Nazi "--SS" advert, for which they are awaiting a non-broadcast adjudication by the Advertising Standards Authority.
The slogan reads:"Gott in himmel, ve vill never break ziz code."
However, to the left of this mildly blasphemous oath (how is it appropriate or tasteful to invoke "God in Heaven" in order to advertise beer ?) is an upward pointing arrow symbol, (white with drop shadows). This symbol which was presumably deliberatly chosen, looks like another Nazi runic symbol used by the SS and by todays racist and white supremecist groups and individuals, as well as by some non-racist pagans: the Tyr Rune, named after a Norse god of battle and warfare.
Does the "ve vill never break ziz code" refer to the Advertising Standards Aurhority's Committee of Advertising Practice Code clause 5.1 (Decency) ?
DECENCY (ie avoiding serious or widespread offence)5.1
Marketing communications should contain nothing that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence. Particular care should be taken to avoid causing offence on the grounds of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability. Compliance with the Code will be judged on the context, medium, audience, product and prevailing standards of decency.
This Tyr rune is far more obscure than the double Sig rune SS symbol which the previous advert carried, and is only likely to offend neo-nazis and racists who object to being associated with weak, warm, bland, mediocre Spitfire Ale,
Why can't Shepherd Neame actually use Spitfire aeroplane symbols in their adverts ?
N.B. there are plenty of other British beers which are superior to Spitfire Ale.
How can some one writing in reference to the advert placed by Sheperd Neame actually go off the issues to which they are reffering to have a snipe at the quality of their product.
They make excellent beers, as do all of the breweries in England.
Stick to the subject and we will all be sympathetic to your points raised, but to use this sort of forum just to slag of their product is ridiculous!
The quality of Shepherd Neame's products is a matter of personal opinion.
Spitfire Ale is not undrinkable, but it is nothing special.
There are superior British beers, and specificaly better English Strong Ales e.g. from Brakspear, Adnams, and even from Scottish & Newcastle.
The other more controversial Nazi Shepherd Neame advert by the Evening Standard crossword puzzle, slagged off the quality of "German lager", even though Shepherd Neame also brew Durch, Austrian and German lager under licence.
Whatever its former merits , Spitfire Ale will now always now be associated with a metaphorical bad taste.