Brewery releases fragrance infused with ‘essence of hard work’ and – urm, beer – and toxic masculinity must be stopped
A bearded man contemplates a bottle of Thirst. (Victoria Bitter)
Australian beer brand Victoria Bitter has released a perfume for “hard-working” men to wear “straight from the worksite to the pub” and toxic masculinity has just gone too far.
The perfume, named “Thirst: A scent by VB”, is infused with Victoria Bitter “hop extract” and, apparently, the “essence of hard work”.
It has been marketed as the “perfect scent for hard-working Australians”. This apparently only means axe-wielding, pub-going, masculine men.
The photos of the fragrance on the brand’s website, where it is already sold out, illustrate the target audience.
The bottle, complete with beer bottle top, is pictured resting in a pile of greasy tools, on a freshly chopped log with an axe in the background, and being contemplated by a bearded man wearing a flannel shirt in a field.
(Victoria Bitter/ Facebook)
According to perfume retailer Chemist Warehouse: “For generations Victoria Bitter has embodied the very essence of hard work.
“But working hard under the Aussie sun builds up more than just a hard-earned thirst. It builds up a sweat that’s best left behind at knock off.
“So the brewers of VB have partnered with Australian perfumers to create a big, bold scent to help you get straight from the worksite to the pub.
“Infused with VB’s very own hop extract, Thirst is a refreshing combination of bitter citrus and icy aromas with a sweet hoppy accent to finish.”
Victoria Bitter’s marketing director Hayden Turner said in a media release: “We love hard work, but let’s be honest, no one wants to be the person who brings the smell of the worksite to the pub, which is why we created Thirst.
“It enhances that perfect knock off moment – a spray of Thirst, followed by an ice cold VB at the pub with your mates.
“We wanted to honour that moment with a fragrance that every hard-working, VB drinking, Aussie man would be proud to wear.”
While it might seem laughable that a perfume would have to have beer in it for a “hard-working man” to wear it, toxic masculinity also has a dark side.
Toxic masculinity has been linked to homophobia, bullying, mental health problems and even physical health problems.
