American Beer "Gandhi-Bot" and Mahatma Gandhiji !!

Gandhi Bot, with Gandhili's image on the glass.www.beeradvocate.com

 

Life's brutal, grab a brew.Gandhi Bot, a Double IPA. lifesbrewtal.blogspot.com

Competition among companies, particularly, breweries world over is  so intense, that they resort to all kinds of gimmicks to stay alive in the market. Eye-catching ads with crisp and  impressive messages,  and unusual brand names backed by intense sales pitch will certainly attract the attention of the public and make the people turn around and try the product just for the heck of it. If Hollywood and Bollywood  celebrities or prominent professional  players of foot ball, cricket or base-ball become spoke persons or ambassadors for the companies' band names and  their products will get wider publicity and will  reach the market across the country faster than the conventional ad strategies.

Double India Pale Ale ''Gandhi - Bot''.www.nyctastes.com

A Connecticut, USA, Brewery, to hit the raw nerve of the  Americans and their craze for beer  followed  a  typical  novel, effective  but  an inexpensive method, which no body can ever think of. The funny thing is they made a link with the consumption of their 'brand beer' and spiritual awakening!! They, without hesitation, named their product "Double India Pale Ale"  "Gandhi - Bot" and used the image of Mahatma Gandhi,  father of Indian nation and  an apostle of non-violence, who helped India attain freedom from the mighty British through non-cooperation or Satyagraha.  India Pale Ale (IPA)  was a popular drink first introduced during the  colonial  British India rule  for  the Indian  market and was  imported  from England. It  had higher alcohol content and was intensely hopped for better shelf life,  considering long  arduous sea  journey to India all the way  from England.  IPA was specially imported from the English Isle with a view to keeping the beer-starved, sun-drenched British Bobs who had to put in extra hard work in the mosquito infested tropical country sides.

Barrister Mohandas K. Gandhi, a rare photo.www.rediff.com

A cartoon image depicting a robot version of the late Indian leader.www.bbc.com

 Well-known World leaders late Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King, et al used Gandhiji as their roll model and  followed his famous  principles of non-violence and non-cooperation (with the government) and gained unimaginable success and popularity in their respective endeavors in their countries. They chose a different path, not tried in their countries before, hence its impact on the public and the ruling authorities was effective. The beer company label funnily features a cartoon image, depicting a robot version of the late Indian leader who had abhorred alcohol since his days in England. The company launched its brand ''Gandhi-Bot'' in the international market and got a favorable response.

Gandhi-Bot is an intensely hopped "Double India Pale Ale," with a blend of three varieties of American hops - aromatic and fully vegetarian. The company claimed it was an  "ideal aid for self purification and seeking of truth and love," thus touching upon Gandhiji's  spirituality and character and the effects on the prospective drinkers.

Double India Pale Ale ''Gandhi-Bot''.www.nyctastes.comtimesofap.com

www.santabanta.comMahatma Gandhi

 Dragging one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century and linking his saintly philosophy with an alcoholic beverage  just for publicity bonanza is something that ought to be condemned, for Mahatma Gandhi was not a Hollywood or Bollywood glamorous model. A  petition was  filed  by  a furious lawyer one S. Janardhan Goud in Hyderabad City (now in the state of Telengana), Southern India  against the New England Brewing Company of United States, which uses Mahatma Gandhi’s name as the  "Brand Name" for its beer Gandhi-Bot.

This is highly condemnable and punishable, according to Indian Laws and  it amounts to committing offense under Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act,1971, and Section 124-A of IPC (Indian Penal Code). It is an insult to late Mahatma Gandhi, India's freedom  fighter and national leader, the petitioner said.  Sri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Gandhi's grandson, was quoted as calling the use of his image "crass and silly."

New England Brewing Co. said Friday it will change the name of its controversial beer, Gandhi-Bot, according to a statement posted to a state legislator's website. The brewery in Woodbridge, CT said the renaming process could take as long as three months, and it assured customers that the recipe for the beer would not change.

After the lawsuit, the brewery apologized to those who were offended by the name and eventually said it was exploring options for the beer's new brand name. 

Indeed, it was a good gesture on the part of the New England Brewing company to take steps to change the company band name.

Ref:

http://www.newsmobile.in/articles/2015/01/03/gandhi-beer-stirs-controversy

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-gandhi-bot-rename-new-england-brewing-20150123-story

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/05/gandhi-beer-gandhi-bot-brewery-apologizes_n_6416744