Brewer discontinues product found to be ‘indirectly associated with violent behaviour’

Honorific image: ICP upholds complaint against Little Mesters Stan IPA (Little Mesters)
Honorific image: ICP upholds complaint against Little Mesters Stan IPA (Little Mesters) ((Little Mesters))

A Sheffield based brewery has discontinued one of its products after it was found to indirectly associate with “violent behaviour”.

Little Mesters Brewing has discontinued its Stan IPA after a complaint against the product was upheld by the alcohol industry’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP).

The complaint related to the tap handle and pump clip, which depict an honorific cartoon-style image of Stan Shaw, who was a ‘little mester’, a title referring to a master craftsman usually associated with Sheffield, posing with a knife in an upright position with his body turned towards it.

It said: “The idea of Stan is a homage to one of the last ‘little Mesters’ in Sheffield. As much as I appreciate the respect to the history of the city of Sheffield in feel using a knife handle as a tap handle is perhaps a step too far and could encourage alcohol related violence.”

The grievance was upheld under Code rule 3.2(b), which states a drink, its packaging and any promotional material or activity should not in any direct or indirect way suggest any association with bravado, violent, aggressive, dangerous, anti-social or illegal behaviour.

Indirect association

While the panel said it took into consideration images of blades and knives have been used on other alcohol packaging in the UK and are not necessarily always used as weapons or associated with violence, the Stan image made the knife a “central focus” of the design.

The image of Stan Shaw was also surrounded by numerous other blades in a circular fashion alongside the word ‘Stan’, which the

The panel also expressed concern about the number of blades included in the imagery, which features numerous other blades surrounding Stan Shaw, adding particularly they formed a prominent part of the design and appeared to be more akin to sharp weapons than utensils.

When considering these contributing factors, the panel upheld the pump clip and tap handle under Code rule 3.2(b) for creating an indirect association with violent behaviour.

In addition, the ICP said the blade held by Stan had a cured tip, which gave the appearance that the blade was akin to a sharp dagger rather than a blunted ceremonial knife, which raised concerns the imagery could potentially glamourise the depiction of sharp knives often used as weapons in violent crime.

Public concern

ICP chair Rachel Childs said: “In this case the panel acknowledged the producer had simply sought to celebrate an important local craftsman.

“However rising rates of knife crime in the UK, and particularly Sheffield where the marketing appeared, generate a high level of public concern so it’s important to remember that any depiction of knives on alcoholic packaging has to be approached with great caution.”

The Panel further considered the imagery in the wider context of the pump clip handle, which was designed to mimic a knife handle, adding the action required to pull the tap would result in a person’s hand gripping it in a similar fashion as one might brandish a knife.

A spokesperson from Little Mesters Brewery said: “We respect the decision made by the Portman Group, and the important role they play in our industry.

“However, we do not agree our branding celebrating a master craftsman and the huge part he, and other, Little Mesters played in building industry in our fantastic city in any way encourages anti-social behaviour nor promotes knife crime.”