Brew Dog Hop Rocker - 25% off

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Permalink Reply by Rusty Chch on January 30, 2009 at 4:44pm

Wow, just WOW.

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Permalink Reply by nzbrewer on January 30, 2009 at 4:45pm

Gee I hope it wasn't this blog post http://www.realbeer.co.nz/blog/2009/01/hop-rocker.html

That might mean that Lion actually pays attention to the RealBeer.co.nz Blog

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Permalink Reply by James P on January 30, 2009 at 4:48pm

I'd relabel the bottles Brew Dog Lion Rocker...... and keep selling it...

If they do read the blog it's time to tell them the other half of their beer "stable" blows goats.... (unfortunately that may lead to a defamation law suit, so I state this is my opinion only!)

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Permalink Reply by Nolen Smith on January 30, 2009 at 5:05pm

I'd re-label it Brew Dog Hop Rock... It's only the word ROCKER that they have trademarked in terms of "beers, lagers, ales..." blah, blah. It's also unclear from the letter if they trademark has been granted or is pending. It sounds like it's only pending. That would give them 'priority rights' but it's not set in stone until the trademark is granted. Also, is it a NZ trademark or overseas? NZ isn't a signatory of the Madrid Protocol (as far as I know) which governs cross border protection. If it's only NZ trademark, rent some webserver space overseas... ;-)

And I would *hardly* call Lion's beers "iconic".

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Permalink Reply by Nolen Smith on January 30, 2009 at 5:06pm

In all seriousness, get an opinion from a NZ trademark lawyer, if you haven't already.

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Permalink Reply by BeerNZ on January 30, 2009 at 5:28pm

Daniel,

I'd direct this to Tucks Indent as they are the distributors, you are only a retailer. Background how you got hold of the beer and ask if they have had a similar approach from Lion. I'd also drop a copy to Brewdog - take a look at their website, they are the kind of guys that like a fight.

Good luck - I knew a guy who trade-marked the 'House of Pain' just for fun then took it up with Otago Rugby Union.....


CB

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Permalink Reply by Greig McGill on January 30, 2009 at 9:56pm

Dear Lion Nathan,

Fuck ALL the way off.

Try actually brewing something decent instead of buying promising beers and ruining them, you utter pack of fucks.

Nobody cares about you or your "brands". We care about flavour. Funny thing is, Mac's Hoprocker has some. Shame I'll not be buying it again because you lot are a pack of morons who think anyone is going to mix these two up. What good do you think this does? Seriously? What? Answer please?

Colin, please come back. I liked it when you were brewing.

I'm so angry right now. This is everything that is wrong with the world summed up in one PDF.

Die in a fire Lion Nathan.

Hate and knives,

Greig.

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Permalink Reply by JoKing on January 30, 2009 at 10:01pm

I like you Grieg.

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Permalink Reply by Greig McGill on January 30, 2009 at 10:16pm

I think what really fucks me off is that they have half the bars in this country in their shitty tasting pockets, making more money than most people could ever dream of, with product that just wouldn't stand up to an educated palate. That's not enough for them. Oh no. They need to go after people distributing craft beer from the other side of the world in tiny quantities.

Jesus. I just don't know where to start with what is wrong here. This isn't how the market should work. Make the best product. Simple.

I might have had one pint too many of Boysenbeery tonight, but I just feel like packing it in when I see crap like this. Joe Moron is quite happy to just put up with it. We who care just get called snobs. No. It's not fucking good enough. We're not snobs. Quality is objective. Lion Red is shit. No two ways about it. Lion Nathan have the opportunity to deal with that and produce a decent product, but why should they when every idiot will just buy the shit they make and say "thank you sir, and may I please have another?"

Fuck!!!

What's to be done?

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Permalink Reply by nzbrewer on January 31, 2009 at 8:20am

I'm sure more posts like this will help. Bring it on people.

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Permalink Reply by 666 Brewing on January 31, 2009 at 9:07am

Hey Greig

Want to be wound up abit more? When brewing in Australia we started to use the phrase 'New World' to describe our beers. Lets just say 2 weeks later we had a 20 page document from the LN lawyers stating we cant use 'New' because people might get confused with Toohey's New and if we didnt stop using it they would sue! Come on guys - grow up! Who could ever get confused with that crap and a well made craft beer! Anyway, my boss having a few spare $$'s decided to fight back - and won! So there is hope if you want to fight back....

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Permalink Reply by Greig McGill on January 31, 2009 at 9:25am

I'm sober now. Still grumpy though. I've been teased and criticised in the past for hating marketing and branding, but this clarifies the problem for me. There is nothing wrong with marketing (and the particular tool of branding) when used to promote a decent product.

The problem is that it seems all too often to spin out of control. The brand becomes everything. The product ceases to matter. It could be bottled weasels piss (and the unkind amongst us may say "it is") and the company would continue to sell it and people would continue to buy it thanks to the giant marketing budget, and strategy which cashes in on peer pressure and tall poppy syndrome.

At that point, it becomes all about protecting the brand. LN literally CAN'T "do nothing" when something else named the same as one of their brands appears in the NZ market. If they don't pursue it, and later on a real threat turns up - someone actually trying to confuse buyers and steal customers - they won't have a leg to stand on since they never defended their brand in the past. So, they are pretty much compelled to act like a pack of douches.

Does that mean that I forgive them for doing so? Nope. I stand by what I said before. Screw your brand. Screw your trademark. Just make better beer and let the consumer decide using what remains of our under-utilised brains.

Disclaimer: I'm a passionate guy who just wants "the good guys" to win, and hates seeing tossers win simply by being the biggest, with no need for innovation except in the area of cost reduction. Sorry if that makes me swear and rant sometimes. I hope nobody is offended. Except Lion Nathan. Fuck them, I don't care. :)

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