Recently, a promotional email was sent out by the Kenosha Kingfish that included an interesting Tag Line. Wine, Women and Baseball. Is that a statement that should be use to promote a baseball game? Nowhere in the promotion does it state that the event is catered towards women. Nowhere in the promotion does it say that women receive any type of free or discounted items. It would appear, on the surface, to simply be a take-off on the old saying of Wine, Women and Song. The question is, in 2018, in this very volatile time in communication history, is that really a Tag Line that should be used?
In the interest of not being sensationalist and over reactionary, KSE reached out multiple times to the Kingfish organization to express some concern about the wording in the promotion. There was no response. The Wikipedia site explains the phrase as the following: “Wine, women, and song” is a hendiatris that endorses hedonistic lifestyles or behaviors. A more modern form of the idea is often expressed as “sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll”, a phrase popularized by British singer Ian Dury in his song of the same title.” The average American translation would be something closer to, “come to the ballpark to see a game…we got Wine, Women and Baseball”. And the question remains, is that something we should be saying in 2018?
KSE is comprised of many people, from many walks of life and all were asked their opinions. Of the 5 women and 8 men that were asked, it was 13 out of 13 that replied that the promotion should have a different title. The responses vary from “yes, I can see that it would be offensive to women” all the way to “F those idiots”. These are interesting and unique times we live in, and everyone is accountable for their own actions, their own words, and even their own thoughts. And society has become an “eye of the beholder” community, more so now than ever before in history.
So the question remains, is a promotion titled “Wine, Women and Baseball” something that should be used in 2018? For the record, no one at KSE believes that this was sent maliciously or sent meaning to offend. But it did offend. And it offended 100% of the people that were asked about the email. There is no doubt that marketing an organization like the Kingfish is a ground-floor undertaking. There is equally no doubt that the Kingfish have been a good fit for Kenosha. It just remains the opinion of everyone at KSE that there should have been different wording for the Tag Line of the event.
KSE pooled their collective heads and came up with an alternative that might have been used and adds in the name of the title sponsor: Come to the Kingfish Game?? Wine Knot! Any comments in the section provided below are strongly encouraged.
