Brewdog restarts bitter feud with Diageo

Craft brewer Brewdog has called big beer advertising “bollocks” as it launched a promo for its new beer that mocks Diageo’s famous ‘Tick Follows Tock’ Guinness ad.

Brewdog used the launch of Jet Black Heart to called big beer advertising from the likes of Diageo “bollocks” (Photo: Brewdog)

The Scottish company has used the launch of its new Jet Black Heart stout to restart a fight with Diageo that began three years ago, when the drinks giant blocked Brewdog from receiving a prestigious industry award.

In an unveiled attack on Diageo and its Guinness beer brand, Brewdog co-founder James Watt said: “Big beer advertising is bollocks. If you have to spend millions of pounds on ad campaigns to get people to drink your beer, the brewing is probably being neglected.”

Accompanying the new beer is a promotional video that shows Watt and fellow co-founder Martin Dickie dressed in a horse costume swimming in a wave pool, mocking the famous Guinness ad from 1998 that shows horses galloping out of the waves.

Brewdog said the video, which can be seen below, is “the kind of launch that over-financed stouts have historically enjoyed.”

“Although, let’s be honest, Brewdog cares more about the production values of its beer than its ads,” it said.

In 2012, Diageo threatened to pull its sponsorship from the British Institute of Innkeeping awards after learning Brewdog was set to win the Pub Operator of the Year award.

After the abuse of its position was revealed at the ceremony in Glasgow, Diageo apologised “unreservedly” for what it called an “error”.

The new beer, Jet Black Heart, is a 4.7% abv oatmeal milk stout that Brewdog says “delivers a deep, smooth, but roasty flavour.”