Ad description
A radio ad, for a carpet retailer, featured the sound of a can being opened and a male voice that stated, "On the couch, drinking beer, watching football, what could be better?" In reply, a female voice stated, "The massive sale at Mallusk Carpets, that's what." The male voice later said, "But what about my football?" The female voice replied, "Well maybe you'll score later on, especially after I net a bargain." The male voice then stated, "Yeah come to think of it, we did get a great deal at the last sale at Mallusk carpets, where's the car keys?" It then featured the sound of a bunch of keys being picked up.
Issue
A complainant challenged whether the reference to alcohol and driving was irresponsible.
Response
Mallusk Carpets believed it was clear from the narrative that the male voice was looking forward to drinking a beer. They said that the man got as far as opening the can, yet did not get to drink even a sip due to his partner asserting that they should go to the Mallusk carpets sale. They said there was no irresponsible behaviour because he did not drink any alcohol and instead went out shopping.
The RACC said it was clear that the man in the ad was about to drink beer while watching football on television and was not already doing so. They said, on that basis, the ad was not irresponsible by linking drinking with driving.
Assessment
Upheld
The ASA acknowledged that the ad might have given the impression that the man had not yet started drinking the beer. However, we considered the ad was ambiguous as to whether or not the man had started drinking and considered that the sound of the can being opened along with the man's use of the phrase "drinking beer" to describe what he was presently doing suggested that he had consumed alcohol. We noted that the BCAP Code stated that advertisements must not link alcohol with the use of potentially dangerous machinery or driving. Because the ad linked alcohol with driving, we concluded that the ad was irresponsible.
The ad breached BCAP Code rules
1.2
1.2
Advertisements must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to the audience and to society.
(Responsible advertising) and
19.13
19.13
Advertisements must not link alcohol with the use of potentially dangerous machinery or driving.
Advertisements may feature sporting and other physical activities (subject to other rules in this section) but must not imply that those activities have been undertaken after the consumption of alcohol.
(Alcohol).
Action
The ad must not appear in its current form. We told Mallusk Carpets not to link alcohol with driving in future ads.
