But this dude Daniel Murphy, owner of Twelve Rounds Brewing, must've thought he enjoyed a right to free expression under the new regime. He thought wrong, and has apologized profusely (to save his business, obviously).
At Breitbart, "Investors Dump Brewery After Facebook Post Opposing Women’s March."
And at the Sacramento Bee, "Can Twelve Rounds survive a social media disaster that turned off customers?":
Hey ladies, the owner of 12 Rounds brewery in Sacramento has some special feedback on the Women's March ... pic.twitter.com/RpdBvd8VpE
— Nick Miller (@NickMiller510) January 24, 2017
Why do voicemails about 12 Rounds Brewing keep saying owner has right to say what he said? That misses the point. https://t.co/48nz3YzaT7
— Blair A. Robertson Ⓥ (@Blarob) February 5, 2017
Do craft beer patrons have a certain political bent? Are they likely to be more liberal, moderate or conservative? Do they wear way more plaid flannel shirts than the general population?Keep reading.
If you’re in the hospitality industry, here’s the only answer that should matter to you: It doesn’t matter.
When it comes to political views, breweries should have a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Arguing about politics, religion and conspiracy theories are simply bad for business.
Understood by most already, this simple lesson came screaming into our collective consciousness nearly two weeks ago when award-winning brewer Daniel Murphy’s personal Facebook posts leaked into the public sphere, beginning with one where he said he was “disgusted” with the Women’s March. To put it charitably, some of Murphy’s other political and social views fall well outside the bounds of polite or even reasonable political discourse.
Can you suggest that the nation’s first black president was actually a Muslim and a traitor without decimating all that good will you’ve spent months building up? Can you use racist terms for Pakistanis? Why would you even go there? All those millennial couples and their cute kids and fluffy dogs I saw sitting outside drinking beer and socializing last summer? They likely don’t want to be connected to that kind of rhetoric.
To be a successful business that optimizes profits and is good for the community, a brewery should be a welcome place for people of all walks of life and political perspectives. This has nothing to do with the First Amendment or one man’s right to give his opinion. It’s Business 101.
Is there a way out of this hole Murphy has dug himself?
I asked straight-shooting Evan Elsberry of the popular restaurant Evan’s Kitchen, which is across 57th Street. He’s been handling the food program for Twelve Rounds – you can place an order from the brewery and have Elsberry’s superb cooking delivered in minutes. Several days ago, he walked across the street to check in with Murphy.
“I told him, ‘I don’t agree with what you said, but I’m going to stand by you as a business owner,’ ” Elsberry told me. “I know the guy personally and feel bad for him. It’s a good business. He just really messed up.”
Elsberry has seen the short-term spike in attention. He’s even benefited from it.
“In the last four days, I was swamped with orders from the brewery. It’s not hurting his business yet, but it’s going to catch up to him.”
A new company, Disrupt Marketing, was so intrigued by Twelve Rounds’ predicament that company co-founder Soreath Hok, a former news producer at KCRA Channel 3, wrote a detailed Facebook post with an abundance of excellent advice. She says the brewery needs to create personal, sincere videos that address those who feel let down or insulted by Murphy’s posts. Here’s an excerpt...
This isn't the same as arguing for religious freedom. I'd be more behind this guy if he was saying he wasn't going to cater some homosexual wedding. But this is Facebook. You're just putting your views out there, throwing caution to the wind. I think he learned his lesson. He wants to stay in business. He's going to be buttoning it up.
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