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Photo credit: Southern Bay Brewing
An Australian brewery is still feeling the wrath from the internet community after its Facebook post mocking non-alcoholic beer as a gay product…which led to the departure of its CEO.
Here’s what we know…
Internet meme’s can haunt you as one Australian brewery has learned and they’re still reeling from a Facebook post they made last week that ignited a social media firestorm
The Geelong-based brewery Southern Bay post featured an old boxer is seen posing in a black-and-white photograph. And its accompanying meme read “Non-alcoholic beer. You mean gay lemonade?” infuriating many who saw it as a homophobic slur.
The postings timely removal did little to quiet the escalating internet backlash. Nor did the brewery CEO Nick Warming’s Facebook apology.
The brewery head explained that the meme was uploaded “without any thought whatsoever and no offence was intended. I apologize unreservedly.”
According to the Drinks Business the brewery later edited its post to add that the CEO would be resigning immediately adding that it would be
It added that the brewery would be “more careful selecting our posts in future.” (Yah think?).
“We realize this is not good enough and we should not have posted the homophobic beer meme. It will not happen again. It was a gross error and mistake and we would appreciate it if people were kind enough to forgive us.”
Although some on social media accepted the online apology, others were less forgiving, responding that Southern Bay’s actions were “not remotely acceptable,” adding that the follow-up was “insincere”.
The Independent is reporting that the Southern Bay Brewery is no stranger to controversial postings that land them in hot water….
“Australia’s Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) determined the brewery had violated its rules earlier this year when posting another meme on Twitter that read: “There’s nothing wrong with you that me drinking six beers can’t fix.”
American Craft Beer has contacted Southern Bay for further comment.
