ASA Adjudication on Anheuser-Busch Europe Ltd

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Two posters for Budweiser lager.

a. The first poster featured a band playing, some of the members using bottles of Budweiser as instruments. Text stated "It's crisp, refreshing & 5%. Budweiser. TRUE DEDICATION".

b. The second poster featured a man playing a bass, which had a can of Budweiser attached to the top. Text stated "Rob drinks Bud. It's crisp, refreshing & 5%. Budweiser. TRUE DEDICATION".

Issue

A member of the public believed the posters were irresponsible, because they highlighted the high alcohol content as a reason for choosing the beer.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

Anheuser-Busch Europe (ABE) said they took great care when preparing the posters to ensure they did not imply a preference for the lager because of its alcohol content. They said they consulted CAP Copy Advice and adapted the proposed wording accordingly.

ABE believed the text "It's crisp, refreshing and 5%" identified the alcoholic content of the lager as one of its three defining characteristics. They believed it was simply a statement of fact and there was nothing in the claim to suggest the lager was preferable because of its strength.  They said the ABV (alcohol by volume) was relevant because premium lagers tended to have ABV levels of approximately 5% while standard lagers, unlike Bud, were in the 4 - 4.5% ABV range.  They said both posters included text that stated "Responsibility Matters".

Assessment

Not upheld

The ASA noted the CAP Code allowed marketers to give factual information about the alcoholic strength of a drink, providing it did not otherwise suggest that the drink might be preferred because of its high alcohol content.  

We acknowledged ABE sought Copy Advice regarding similar claims and considered that the claims in the posters were likely to be understood in the same way as those they had previously been told were likely to be acceptable.  

We noted the Budweiser posters stated the ABV of the lager in the headline, but noted there were no other references to the alcoholic strength of the lager in the posters.  We did not consider that the claims in the posters suggested the lager was preferable because of its alcohol content.  We concluded that the inclusion of the ABV was a simple factual statement about the alcoholic strength of the lager and not an encouragement to choose a high alcohol premium lager.  

We investigated the posters under CAP Code clauses 2.2 (Social responsibility) and 56.10 (Alcoholic drinks - factual information) but did not find them in breach.

Action

No further action necessary.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)