Beef

LCB Stokes More Controversy, and This Time It’s With an Ad Campaign

Like a lightning rod for controversy.
Like a lightning rod for controversy.

For an agency’s whose doom is all but certain, one might think Pennsylvania’s Liquor Control Board would be working extra hard these days to avoid any controversy and stick to what it does best: price gouging and finding ways to inconvenience the Commonwealth’s drinking class. To the contrary, the embattled booze board this week brought a hellacious storm of criticism on itself with an ad campaign meant as warning to youngsters of the link between binge drinking and date rape. But in true LCB form, the ad, which depicts a young woman’s legs on a bathroom floor with her panties around her ankles and the words “She didn’t want to do it, but she couldn’t say no,” the message was bungled.

Like a lightning rod for controversy.

Just as quickly as the ads began to appear, critics charged that instead of issuing a warning, the message puts rape’s blame on the victims. And in response to the mounting criticism, the LCB decided to pull the ad on Wednesday.

Helpful Liquor Control Agency Warns You Not To Drink, Lest Your Friends Get Raped [Jezebel]

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Responds to Offensive Date-Rape Ad [PW]

LCB pulls controversial ad [AP via Inquirer]

LCB Stokes More Controversy, and This Time It’s With an Ad Campaign