Brewdog spoofs its own scandals in new ‘What Have BrewDog Done Now?’ campaign
BrewDog has launched a new national marketing campaign that turns the tables on its own tabloid-style controversies.
The campaign, titled “What Have BrewDog Done Now?”, uses parody headlines to shift attention back to what the Scottish independent brewer says really matters – its beers.
Brewdog says the new adverts lean into the brand’s reputation for controversy over its 18-year history, poking fun at its image while showcasing its beer range.
The creative features fake, yet plausible, tabloid-style headlines such as “BrewDog launch new IPA that only exists on LinkedIn”, “BrewDog launch reality TV show to find next CEO” and “BrewDog scrap HR department. Launch therapy dog scheme instead.”
Each tongue-in-cheek setup gives way to a showcase of one of its core brews, including Punk IPA, Hazy Jane, Lost Lager and Elvis Juice.
Brewdog chief operating officer Lauren Carrol said the campaign was about reclaiming the brand narrative: “We’ve never been shy about stirring the pot, but behind every headline is a team obsessed with brewing world-class craft beer.
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“This campaign spoofs the outrageous stunts of the past to shine a spotlight onto the thing that really matters to us: the beer.”
The campaign launches today across major digital out-of-home sites in London and Manchester, with 48-sheet billboards to follow in Hackney, Aldgate and Brixton from 10 November.
Meanwhile, online, BrewDog is running an interactive quiz asking fans to guess which of the brand’s past headlines are real and which are fake, with participants able to claim exclusive discount codes for free beer through its website.
The brewer, which now operates more than 120 venues globally and exports to over 60 countries, said the initiative marks a return to its roots through “bold storytelling” anchored firmly in its product.
The campaign follows the business finding itself in hot water in recent years, with Brewdog facing allegations around the treatment of its staff, especially from its co-founder and former CEO James Watt.
In 2021, dozens of former workers signed an open letter accusing Watt – who stepped down in 2024 – of fostering a “culture of fear” in which staff were bullied and “treated like objects”.
In 2023, Watt yet again faced criticism over a misleading “solid gold” beer can promotion, which the business was forced to pay out £500K, before rerunning an amended version of the competition the following year.
