Bacardi is ‘not proud’ for basically making 'lady vodka'
Stop. Making. Gendered. Drinks. Especially when they're 'spa-inspired', 'low-calorie' and 'low alcohol'
A serious bugbear of mine is gendered drinks.
I love intensely peaty whiskies, I love beer, I love a big, spicy, deep red wine, and I love a short and strong cocktail. These aren’t ‘manly’ drinks. They’re just drinks I happen to enjoy.
Much the same on the other side of the fence. Drinking pink, sweet cocktails, rosé wine, white wine spritzers and fruity, floral things isn’t ‘girly’ or ‘for the ladies’. It’s just a bloody drink that you might enjoy.
And on that note, we welcome Bacardi to the room, who decided that during a global pandemic, apparently the thing women really need, is a low-calorie, low-alcohol drink.
Ladies, if you've been struggling with that 'mean, strong and scary vodka', a week or so ago, Bacardi launched Plume and Petal, a new spirit line described as, “designed by women, for today’s modern woman, intended to be enjoyed with other women”. The fruit-flavoured vodkas are apparently, “spa-inspired”. Whatever the hell that means.
Naturally, this went down really well on social media…
Picked up initially by Khushbu Shah, restaurant editor at Food and Wine, the news enraged a lot of people.
Implying that women just lounge around at a spa with their girlfriends while sipping low-calorie drinks not only plays into (outdated and incorrect) stereotypes, it also suggests women should be more concerned about their weight. Of course there’s nothing wrong with thinking about your health, but when did that become specific to women?
Bacardi has now backtracked on its original messaging, saying, “We are aware of the conversations on social media around the use of gendered language in a pitch. We’re not proud of that, but we are proud of the female creators behind this product – unfortunately, a rarity in this industry – and we are proud of this great tasting drink.”
However, it’s clear that the product is still being marketed in the same vein. The Plume and Petal website and Instagram feed is just beautiful women relaxing by a pool, with inspirational #instaquotes and Millennial pink all over the place.
It's not the first time we've had to put up with this crap, and it'll probably not be the last. In other 'wtf gender' news, over recent years we've had Lady Doritos which don't crunch as loudly; the pink and dainty Bic pen for our pink and dainty hands; Yogi Tea's 'men's tea' full of spice and grr; and Jane Walker Scotch, because of course whisky is also super scary to us little ladies.
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Comments (34)
The whole gendered drinks think is a mystery to me. Some times I want a light cocktail and others, I want a good whiskey. I was never brought up with this gendered drink rubbish. In my family at least. Food for thought right here.
Yes! PREACH! I'm exactly the same. It's just so silly.
I'm asking around my friends (totally over 18 - mid 20s) both lads and lass's to see if they have experiences or opinions on it because this is a completely alien concept to me.
We should see soon "lady bagels", petite bagels with pink strips. Out of the food/drinks products, usually if it is pink and costs more you know it is supposed to be for ladies, like a pink hammer 😂. I am still waiting for a lavander-scent pink hammer 🤫.
omg the pink tools! Hahaha the worst. Ok please don't judge me, but I'm really liking the sound of a lady bagel... apart from the size being smaller 😂.
Haha, lady bagels sound sophisticated 😁. I am guilty of surrender to the bite-size bakes because I trick my mind "petite scone is not a scone" 😆.
I’m super partial to a spritzer or a nice cocktail but the looks you get as a guy ordering an Aperol Spritz or even any long drink in a pub is shocking. As a bloke in a pub you have beer or whiskey and that’s it. Which sucks because i love a good negroni.
Noo, Negronis are 100% seen as a 'man' drink. I've genuinely had bartenders say to me before, "are you sure you want a Negroni? It's a really strong drink and often the ladies don't like it"...! It's just so ridiculous. You drink your Aperol...
Read moreI’ve heard people say “anything you put a slice of fruit on to finish, isn’t a blokes drink” hence my secret passion for the negroni.
SING IT SISTER 🗣🖤
Ha, it probably comes across that this shit really grinds my gears...
When I read that they had done that, there is a good chance you heard my eye roll
I like to know which drinks are supposed to be for ladies, so I can order one. I usually prefer a rose to whatever the guy at the bar promises will put hair on my chest.
Well, I was once at a wedding reception during which two groups of women, at opposite ends of the hall, screeched at each other again and again, "WOO WOO!" Found out that that's a drink and that they were exhorting each other (challenging each...
Read moreI'm up for some Woo Woo. When I find it.