Deep Ellum Beer Uses Blowjob Jokes To Sell Blonde Ale

Why This Ad Campaign Made People Very Angry

Another day, another unnecessarily sexual advertising slogan.

Dallas-based Deep Ellum Brewing Company's Blonde Ale features a creepy doll and the slogan "goes down easy" on the can -- a sadly cliched cheap shot at blonde women. Unsurprisingly, the marketing campaign left many consumers very unamused.

In a post for Burnt Orange Report, Genevieve Cato explained why the phrase was problematic: "Deep Ellum's lazy use of this well-worn sexist comparison of women to alcohol is disappointing and insulting to their female customers, but it goes deeper than that." Cato goes on to suggest that the marketing slogan "fuels the acceptability of rape culture in our society."

Deep Ellum owner John Reardon responded to the criticism in a blog post, writing:

As we’re all adults (if not, you should have already been directed here), let’s go ahead and bring the innuendo front and center -- it’s a literal description of the beer with a blowjob joke. A double entendre. And yes, I find that funny. What’s not funny is how that’s been interpreted to promoting rape culture. If anyone is to blame for promoting such thoughts, it should be those interpreting the phrase to that level. Shame on you.

Actually, Reardon, shame on you. Whether the slogan is "just" a blowjob joke or a more serious endorsement of rape culture, it's not going down easy. It might be time to re-think your marketing tactics.

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