Unique alcohol marketing has M.A.D.D. upset…

August 24, 2009

Cherry Hill, NJ's Flying Fish Brewing Co. is proud to be from New Jersey. With that in mind, the company has come up with a unique marketing scheme for some of its brews: naming them in honor of NJ Turnpike exits.

The company was founded in 1995 and is the largest New Jersey-based brewery. With an already popular product associated with its name, the company released its first "Turnpike Exit" brew, Exit 4 American Trippel, in early 2009, and its second release, was due out on July 15, 2009, is Exit 11 Hoppy American Wheat Ale. They plan to continue introducing new exit-themed beers every few months.

Interesting idea? Not everyone thinks so, including MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), whose position is that a deliberate connection is being made to promote drinking and driving. The executive director of the New Jersey chapter of MADD was quoted as saying, "The combination of a roadway and advertising for any kind of a beer doesn't make any kind of sense." Adding, "This is almost a mockery."

Is MADD mad?

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority could be described as being "tolerant" of the brewery's approach to promoting its beer, but they certainly don't endorse it. That is made clear in disclaimers issued by Flying Fish.

Both Flying Fish and MADD seem to have avid supporters in this debate. The one thing they both agree on, according to a quote by Flying Fish's president, is that "… drinking and driving is never an option".

I think this adverting has nothing to do with drinking and driving. I believe Flying Fish Brewing Co. just wanted to show their New Jersey roots. What do you think?

1 comments:

Anonymous,  August 26, 2009 at 11:48 AM  

i think it is free enterprise, and the company spent their marketing dollars on this, ... if people are turned off by it, .. they dont have to buy the beer, ...

i think that maybe next year, they can expand the theme to include nj wild wile areas, ..... and maybe incorpoarte the turnpike exit number or parkway exit, closet to the wild life site

for example, you can use state forests, fisheies, .. bird sanctuaries, . wetland parks, ...

then the 3rd year, add in historical sites, like washingtons crossing, ... cape may lighthouse, .. battle fields, .. things like this, ... all incorporating the tuernpike or parkway exit,...

to just have the exit number is , to me, kinda lacking imagination and very bland.

like my idea?

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