By now you probably know that Woolworths got in trouble over Duff Beer.

The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code panel decided the product could appeal to kids under 18 due to its connection with The Simpsons (do kids even watch The Simpsons any more).

Now, far as I can tell, the panel didn’t actually tell Woolies they had to kill off the beer. The supermarket behemoth, who owns Dan Murphys and BWS took it on the chin and said they wouldn’t make it any more. But they do get to sell their remaining stock.
Now am I the only person who thinks Woolworths might actually be happy to do this?

I’ve had Duff – and it’s a frigging awful beer. I mustn’t be the only one who thinks that because, when I walk into a Dan’s or a BWS there tends to be a huge number of these red Duff cans sitting on the shelves. I’d suggest that the beer just isn’t selling – people drink it once for the novelty factor and then never again.

Woolies could have just decided on their own not to make it any more, but they’d still be stuck with all those red cans sitting on the shelves with no way to sell them. What they needed was for people to suddenly have a reason to buy them – and the ABAC panel has given them just that.

Remember what happened the last time someone marketed a Duff Beer in Australia? It got axed by the makers of The Simpsons, which then made people go apeshit and buy some cans because they were being banned. As recently as last year I saw someone selling some of those Duff cans on eBay.

That’s what I reckon will happen this time around. People will remember what happened last time and see this as a way to make a quick buck. Of course, they won’t because there are still enough cans of Duff around for every man, woman and child in Australia to have one. But it’s the scarcity principle – as soon as something isn’t going to be around any more some people have to rush to get some before they all run out.

Which is great for Woolworths as it would create a market for a beer no-one was interested in a few weeks ago.