Fear Not the Skull

Careful! Don't look too closely at the accompanying image - you might be compelled to consume dangerous amounts of vodka!

 

Now, I am clearly being facetious, but sadly, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario is quite serious: 

Vodka this summer at the LCBO, you're out of luck.

The liquor control board decided not to carry the alcohol, which comes in a bottle shaped like a smiling human skull, out of concern that the product projects the wrong image about drinking.

(...)
"The image of the human skull was problematic for us as a responsible retailer," [LCBO's Chris] Layton said on Wednesday. "It's an image that is commonly associated with death or death by poison."

Layton said that the skull raised concerns because of binge drinking among younger people.

"In some cases, unfortunately, those cases of binge drinking have resulted in alcohol poisoning."

You might be wondering just what on earth the shape of a bottle has to do with consumption of any sort - let alone dangerous consumption. Clearly we're seen dangerous consumption with alcohol that comes in plain old bottles. I'd be curious to see the evidence suggesting that a skull-shaped bottle would lead to more binge drinking.

 

Let's say though, for sake of argument, that the LCBO's concerns are somehow grounded in reality. All this decision has done is resulted in great deal of free advertising for Crystal Head Vodka, which will likely lead to higher sales and... who knows what horrors?

 

I suspect for most people this is a novelty purchase - a collector's item of sorts. The people that want to get wasted on vodka have much cheaper alternatives.

 

More from Globe & Mail wine columnist  Beppi Crosariol: 

The LCBO has banned or delisted other questionable packages, arguably to the public’s benefit, including sexually degrading labels depicting topless women and a vodka brand called Kalishnikov that was presented for sale in a bottle shaped like an AK-47 assault rifle.

But a smiling skull? I find it kind of cute.

Plus, if British Columbia’s experience with the product is any indication, this may be a tempest in a decanter. BC Liquor Stores have been selling Crystal Head since March, 2009, and have received no public complaints about the spirit or its packaging, said Tarina Palmer, spokeswoman for the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch.