The Portman Group has not upheld a complaint from a member of the public against Twickenham Brewery’s Naked Ladies beer marketing.
The complainant suggested the name was offensive, representing outmoded and sexist attitudes to women. “Moreover, from my recent experience of ordering a pint in a London pub in which this was the only available real ale, the name of the beer and pumpclip imagery present real problems of offence and embarrassment.
“As a middle-aged man, the experience of saying the name of the beer to the young woman serving at the bar was awkward and unsettling for all concerned. As a pub-goer, I would obviously prefer not to be made uncomfortable by the simple act of ordering a pint.
“More importantly, bar staff should be able to go to work without being subjected to sexist and sexualised language and imagery which, given age/power differentials with customers, could well be interpreted as harassment or abuse.”
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) took a similar opinion, withdrawing the beer from eligibility for inclusion in its Champion Beer of Britain competition in 2022, following complaints from members of the public.
However, in the case of the Portman Group referral, the brewer successfully argued that the name refers to statues at York House, the home of Richmond and Twickenham Council. While the statues had no official name, locally they had become known as the ‘Naked Ladies’, and usage of the local name had transferred more formally with the statues also listed as an entity with Historic England.
The company explained that, in addition to this, the name was also used to refer to the statues in several other sources, including The York House Society, reflecting that the name was well known by the general public.
Twickenham Brewery explained that the pumpclip included a graphical representation of the largest statue and it had used such branding for approximately ten years. The company explained that, at all stages, it endeavored to ensure the link between the name and the statue was obvious and clear. This included a description of where the name derived on the company’s website and on the packaging of the bottles which referenced the local landmark.
On a statement, CAMRA said: “Our policies are unashamedly consumer focused and include the environment that product names and marketing – including pumpclips – can create for bar staff, volunteers at our festivals, and members of the public enjoying the licensed trade. We also require brewers, cider makers, and other vendors at our festivals to refrain from using discriminatory marketing at CAMRA events, as covered in our Festival Code of Conduct.
“Beer and cider are for everyone, and we want everyone to feel welcome at CAMRA festivals and in their locals. For CAMRA, that means making sure that products on sale do not invite inappropriate or exclusionary behaviour or comments.”
