Black Eye Gin is owned by Rugby legends Mike Tindall and James Haskell alongside television presenter Alex Payne.
The product was created in a bid to raise awareness of the financial and medical challenges faced by rugby players and the name of the drink references a common injury associated with contact sport.
Raised concerns
However, a complaint was made by a member of the public, which raised concerns the name of the gin suggested an association with violent, aggressive, dangerous, anti-social or illegal behaviour under ICP code rule 3.2(b).
The Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) concluded while the name could have several interpretations and was commonly understood as bruising and swelling to the eye, the name alone in this case did not create an association with violent or aggressive behaviour.
It added consideration should be given to the wider context of the rest of the packaging, which features a simple design with no violent or aggressive imagery.
The panel also noted there were several references to rugby, rugby ball imagery and the Blackeye Rugby Fund, providing further context to the gin’s name and the product’s clear aim to use proceeds to address challenges faced by rugby players.
Not upheld
ICP chair Rachel Childs said: “It’s vitally important under the code that producers ensure their products do not make any link to bravado, or with violent, aggressive, dangerous, anti-social or illegal behaviour.
“In this instance, the panel concluded the packaging of Blackeye London Dry Gin, although referencing a common sporting injury, did not make a link with intentional aggression or violence and therefore did not fall foul of the code.”
According to the product’s website, the Blackeye Rugby Fund donates £1.50 from each bottle sold to support past and present rugby players, with a goal of tackling industry issues and becoming one of the largest donors to rugby related causes in the next five years.
