Carlton & United Breweries’ most iconic Australian beer, Victoria Bitter, has been renamed England Bitter to poke fun at the uproar from the poms over Bairstow's stumping at Lords this week.
In the most significant diplomatic event in cricket since Bodyline, both the British and Australian Prime Ministers have weighed in on the controversy. However, both teams conceded the umpire’s decision was within the rules of the game.
Making its way to England this week, the renamed beer run is a response to English coach Brendon McCullum’s refusal to have a beer with the Australian team at the end of play.
Marc Lord, Marketing Manager at Victoria Bitter, said there are slabs of the new brew heading straight to the English Cricket Team to enjoy once they’ve cooled off.
“We know the English are bitter about the Lord’s Test, but when they’re feeling less bitter, we’ve got a beer to shout them, our fresh new England Bitter.
“We raise our glass to the whole Australian team for securing a famous win in the second test and wish them the best of luck in winning the series,” he said.
To ensure England’s men’s cricketers can’t miss the offer, VB will also shortly release a rejigged version of its iconic jingle and have taken out full-page ads in Australian newspapers ahead of the Headingley test.
VB said the release is a good-humoured poke at the team “in the great tradition of banter between our two great cricketing nations.”
The cheeky new slogan reads: “You can get it not protecting your stumps; you can get it ignoring the umps – Victoria Bitter for the English.”
Free England Bitter t-shirts will also be given out to Aussie fans at the third test starting at Headingley today.
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