“A little Levrette between friends”, “this is not an indecent proposition from the bartender”, “blonde beer of position”… For the Paris Court of Appeal, this does not pass. She imposed a fine of 50,000 euros on the Mayenne company Beer Market, which marketed a beer called “Levrette” with a multitude of ribald allusions.
In violation of the Evin law on alcohol advertising, Beer Market, sued by the Addictions France association, was ordered to remove the numerous slogans used in the brand’s communication, according to a judgment rendered on May 15.
Doggystyle is over
Beer Market was also ordered to remove the words “Levrette” from beer bottles and its website. The court accuses the company of having “knowingly carried out advertising and propaganda of alcoholic beverages” in violation of the Evin law on alcohol advertising.
“This case illustrates how producers strive to circumvent the Evin law and the importance of being vigilant in the face of these attempts,” said Franck Lecas, the “public affairs” manager of Addictions France on Tuesday. The association is also taking legal action against other brands that rely on sexual allusions, such as “Kekette” beer or “Take me” beer, she said.
Drinking like rabbits?
Beer Market is a company based in Château-Gontier, in Mayenne. The brand’s website multiplied the sexual allusions, describing the adventures of rabbits each associated with a beer from the range.
“The use of mascots in the form of stylized rabbits” reminiscent of “popular characters from video games and children’s cartoons, contributed to the personification of beer” and “constituted an illicit advertising process”, considered Addictions France. Beer Market, for its part, considered that its slogans “were not intended to encourage excessive consumption of alcohol”.
