KUALA LUMPUR – Authorities in the UK have instructed a Hong Kong distiller to change the name of its brand after it was found to be offensive.
According to English tabloid Metro, the alcohol industry’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) has recently told the owners of Fok Hing Gin to change the brand after ruling that “it’s obvious the intention is to shock and offend those who find swearing undesirable and unacceptable”.
In its defence, the distiller, Incognito Group Limited, maintains the product was named after an infamous street called Fuk Hing Lane in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, adding the title was an English romanisation of a Chinese phrase that translated as “fortune and prosperity”.
The company said it has also gone as far as changing the word to “fok”, fearing that the original “fuk” was offensive for English speakers.
Regardless, the decision by the ICP is based on comments made by the company in which the latter's playful use of “fok” as a swear word. The company has been seen telling those opposed to the name to “fok off” and posted comments such as “fokthehaters”, Metro reported.
According to the South China Morning Post, the brand went under scrutiny after a licensing officer from the Portman Group, a UK trade body of alcohol producers and brewers, filed a complaint with the ICP.
The ICP’s ruling last Thursday marks an unprecedented decision for a complaint of this nature.
“This is the first time since the addition of the rule on serious or widespread offence that a product’s name and packaging was considered under the rule in terms of offensive language,” ICP chairwoman Nicola Williams was quoted as saying.
“It is not appropriate for marketing materials to purposefully link a name to profanity and no responsible marketing should cause serious or widespread offence.”
The decision was also based on a ruling which made illegal the packaging, promotion, and activity that would cause “serious or widespread offence”, as per a statement by Portman Group.
On Fok Hing Gin’s social media, the company lambasted the “Karens” who were offended by the name.
“We’re genuinely sorry...that you haven’t had the experience of different cultures and their unique diversities. We’d be delighted to show you around Hong Kong one day (if you ever make it past its borders!).”
Despite the snide remark, the company indicated it would be changing the name of the product.
“So no need to get your Primark g-strings twisted, we’ll make sure to update our back label with a more descriptive narrative of our brand story.
“We’re almost out of labels anyways from our award-winning sell-out gin!”
The decision in the UK comes just as Malaysia resolved a weeks-long controversy over its award-winning whiskey brand.
Timah gained national traction after winning multiple international awards last year before it was officially launched on October 7.
Since then, various quarters have slammed the drink maker over its name, saying it is confusing to the Muslims as it bears the short form of the Malay name “Fatimah”.
Some also chastised the branding as insulting, as it resembles that of Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Saidatina Fatimah az-Zahrah.
The whiskey maker has clarified that the name Timah actually means “tin”, which harkens to the tin mining era during British colonial times, but agreed to a rebrand after facing pressure from various groups, including politicians.
However, on Saturday, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said the government had decided to allow the whiskey distillery to maintain its brand name. – The Vibes, November 15, 2021
