BrewDog loses its bark as ‘toxic’ claims come home to bite Business

Still, it took the brewer two attempts to find the right note of contrition. His first instinct seemed to be to launch a counterattack, after encouraging existing staff to sign a separate letter of support for the company. “A bunch of disgruntled ex-employees can’t dictate to the world what it’s like to work at BrewDog in 2021,” the rebuttal project said. “Our experiences are just as valid as theirs.” The letter was quickly withdrawn after being leaked on social media; Watt said it was imagined by his “team of people”.

The very public argument comes as Brewdog contemplates expansion in the United States and a potential float in the stock market. Watt and his co-founder Martin Dickie have spent years building cult status and garnering support from his loyal drinkers, 130,000 of whom have financially supported the company through its “Equity for Punks” program.

Damage control is essential because the claims go to the heart of BrewDog: “It all comes down to our employees”, the company charter reads. “Everything we do is for our team and for craft beer enthusiasts who can benefit from the product of our work. “

The company, founded in 2007, prides itself on being an alternative to faceless brewers; demands for gagging clauses for staff could damage their reputation.

After being sidelined for a slot on Dragon’s lair in 2008, BrewDog grew rapidly and is now the UK’s largest craft brewer, with its beers stocked in supermarkets across the country and with airlines including British Airways. Overseas, it’s already larger than most of the 7,500 craft breweries in the United States and brews other bars in the United States.

At the heart of this colossal ascent to success are high-profile marketing stunts, such as brewing at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and creating a Viagra beer to mark the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

A punk ideology has been at the center of it all, with the company spreading slogans such as “This is the revolution – so help Dog”. The company claimed to have sent “protest beer” to the Kremlin, bearing a picture of Vladamir Putin in makeup in response to the country’s anti-gay laws. She dropped stuffed cats over London to represent “big cats”.

However, his campaigns have not always been well received. BrewDog’s ‘Beer for Girls’, launched in pink bottles in 2018, has been called a sexist and cynical coup; the company claimed it was a marketing “mailing” aimed at women. Last year, Watt placed the stunt first on a list of “My 10 Biggest Mistakes As CEO of BrewDog” posted on LinkedIn.