Spitfire beer ad escapes censure

A advertisement for Shepherd Neame’s Spitfire beer has once again survived a challenge to a British advertising watchdog, despite complaints about its use of Hitler’s Nazi SS insignia.

Shepherd Neame conceded that the humor behind using the dreaded SS insignia in an ad was edgy, but argued that the insignia was the butt of a joke as part of its long-running campaign evoking the British World War II spirit at the expense of the Germans.

The brewery had a similar run-in with advertsing authorities in 2001.