Would You Like Some Social Change With That Beer?

The alcohol industry is well known for its gendered marketing. Alcohol advertisements love showing guys how easily they can have a “good time” thanks to the “confidence” that comes with every sip of beer. But a new Adelaide-based brewery are challenging these conventions.

Sparkke Change Beverage Co. are brewers with a social conscience, from women kicking ass in production, to cans with a message. Some key ones? “Consent can’t come after you do” about sexual assault and “boundless plains to share” on the issue of asylum seekers.

Sparkke Change Beverage Co. labels. Source.

It appears that the alcohol industry may have gotten it right with these folks. Sarah Barrable-Tishauer, co-owner of Sparkke Change Beverage Co., said,

“Sexual consent issues happen a great deal in spaces where people are consuming alcohol at festivals or parties, and we want to have those conversations in those spaces instead of trying to keep them apart.”

Back in 2015, American beer company Bud Light were criticized for their #UpforWhatever campaign, which featured the slogan, “The perfect beer for removing ‘No’ from your vocabulary for the night.”

Did no one see how that was a bad slogan?! No one?! Source

This understandably led to severe backlash, with many suggesting it undermined what the entire anti-rape message is built on, i.e. “no means no.”

Eventually the Vice President of Bud Light, Alexander Lambrecht, apologised for the statement, saying,

“The Bud Light Up for Whatever campaign, now in its second year, has inspired millions of consumers to engage with our brand in a positive and light-hearted way. In this spirit, we created more than 140 different scroll messages intended to encourage spontaneous fun. It’s clear that this message missed the mark, and we regret it. We would never condone disrespectful or irresponsible behavior.”

Whilst it is joked about that you should never talk about anything that may be considered contentious at a party, as Barrable-Tishauer points out, these conversations need to be had.

So, why not have intelligent discussion over an ice cold beverage? You can get involved and purchase a Sparkke bevvy by heading over to their Pozible page.