F*** Me It’s Good: Why Jeremy Clarkson’s Banned Beer Ad Was a Genius Marketing Move

Why Being Banned Now Works

We’re naturally wired to want what we can’t have. And in Clarkson’s case, that instinct was weaponised to perfection.

When the ASA pulled the ad from TV and radio, it sparked widespread media coverage. The Independent broke the story first, followed by Farmers Guardian, Doncaster Free Press, LADbible, and The Sun, all reporting on the ban—and linking directly to the very content regulators wanted removed.

In 2025, being banned by the ASA has become a PR badge of honour. Clarkson didn’t lose airtime. He gained headlines. People didn’t click to learn about the lager—they clicked to see what was so offensive it couldn’t be shown.

Spoiler: it wasn’t the beer. It was the honesty.

Jeremy Clarkson Knew This Wasn’t Just an Ad. It Was a Strategy.

Clarkson knows exactly how to trigger a media loop. His entire brand is built on saying the unsayable—and turning controversy into attention.

Let’s break it down:

• Real farmers, real setting = authenticity.

• Operatic staging = parody.

• Explicit final line = guaranteed ban.

• Social-first release = no broadcaster needed.

The entire thing was designed to be unacceptable by traditional standards—so that it would flourish on social and in the press. It’s a textbook case of the Streisand Effect, where trying to suppress content only amplifies its visibility.

And because Clarkson released it on Hawkstone’s own platforms first, it was already in circulation before any regulator could intervene.

Why It Lands So Well

This wasn’t a random stunt—it aligned perfectly with the product, the message, and the man behind it.

• Clarkson’s reputation as an anti-establishment figure makes this kind of language feel on-brand, not performative.

   

• Hawkstone Lager is brewed using barley from his own farm, as seen on Clarkson’s Farm—a show that’s built a massive, loyal audience on Amazon Prime.

   

• The farmers in the ad are the actual suppliers. There’s no glossy fiction here.

   

It’s what makes the swear work. It doesn’t feel cheap. It feels true.

What Brands Can Learn

This wasn’t a mistake. It was a masterclass in leveraging rejection to earn attention.

Here’s the playbook:

1. Build something bold enough to trigger pushback.

2. Time the release to give social a head start.

3. Let regulators or press drive discovery.

4. Let curiosity and media interest carry the rest.

    

This only works if you know your audience, and if the tone is earned. Clarkson doesn’t just say “f***ing good” for shock value—he says it as someone who’s grown the crop, brewed the product, and backed it with his name. It’s credible. That’s the difference.