Alcohol

 

Specific rules on the advertising of alcohol have existed in the advertising codes since 1975.

As alcohol can only be legally sold in the UK to adults over the age of 18 years old, the rules have always been strict on limiting the appeal of alcohol ads to minors. Alcohol ads can neither appear on television around children's programming nor in publications aimed at those under 18, or where more than 25% of the readership is under 18.

The rules on the advertising of alcohol have always stated that advertisements for alcoholic products should not: 

*    encourage excessive drinking
 
*    feature those who are, or appear to be, under the age of 25.

*    Place undue emphasis on alcoholic strength.

*    suggest that drinking is essential to social success or acceptance. 

*    suggest that drink can contribute to sexual appeal.

Alcohol advertising has not historically been problematic in terms of the number of consumer complaints that it attracted to the regulators. However, in recent years, concern about the effects of alcohol on society as a whole has become more prevalent, putting the advertising of alcoholic products on the Government agenda. 2005 saw the already strict alcohol advertising rules further tightened to allay the fears that have been expressed. So as well as the above rules, new restrictions placed on the advertising of alcohol ads include that ads not: 

*    have a strong appeal to those under the age of 18 years old
 
*    imply that alcohol has contributed to sexual or social success
 
*    show alcohol being handled or served irresponsibly

The new rules became effective on 1 October 2005 and marked a change in the approaches used by alcoholic drink manufacturers to market their products. A review will be undertaken later this year to assess the impact that the new rules have had. The following examples are rulings that have been published since the new alcohol rules change have been made. 

Examples

Young & Co's Brewery (Jan 2006)
These were the first ads considered under the new alcohol rules. Two posters featured a man dressed wearing a suit and a ram's head. In one the backdrop showed a swimming pool with several bikini-clad women focussed on the "ram". In the other he appeared to be holding court in a gentleman's club setting. The strapline to both ads was "This is a Ram's World". We considered the scenes shown were aspirational in nature. Noting the masculinity of the "ram", we considered that the ads linked alcohol with both social success and seduction and were therefore unacceptable under the advertising codes. The advertisers were told to withdraw the posters.

Moet Hennessy UK Ltd (April 2006)
Two ads for Moet & Chandon champagne attracted a complaint. One showed a woman in a cocktail dress, smiling and dancing whilst holding a glass of champagne with the headline "Live life on Centre Stage. Be fabulous." The other ad showed a woman leaning over a bar, wearing a tiara holding a glass of champagne. Two men in the background, holding glasses of champagne looked on. The headline stated "every girl needs a few loyal subjects. Be fabulous." The smallprint to both ads stated "Be fabulous. Be responsible". We disagreed with the complainant's assertion that the ad implied the product could make the drinker more attractive to the opposite sex.

Diageo Great Britain Ltd (Sept 2006)
Seven ads for Smirnoff Ice featured a character called Uri, a chilled-out Eastern European loyal to Smirnoff Ice. These ads were picked up the Committee of Advertising Practice (Broadcast) Monitoring team (BCAP) during a month-long exercise checking alcohol ad compliance with the newly introduced rules. BCAP was concerned that the ads would strongly appeal to people under the age of 18 years as they reflected youth culture. We agreed. The ads featured music from a rap, rock, funk and techno band, of which the lead character in the ad had been a member. Another character featured in the ad was a presenter on MTV. We concluded that the ads would have a strong appeal to under 18s and should not be shown again.

Shepherd Neame (Oct 2006)
This magazine ad for Bishops Finger Kentish Ale showed a woman in a low-cut medieval costume sitting provocatively on a bale of hay, next to the headline "I love a good session on the Bishop's Finger". We rejected the complaint that the ad was offensive to women but were concerned that the headline in combination with the image linked alcohol with sexual activity and seduction.

Intercontinental Brands Ltd t/a Vodkat (Feb 2007)
32 complaints about a TV ad and posters for a vodka, that showed people with slogans on them such as: "It's not an attitude, it's the way I am"; "Since when did girl mean girly?"; "Cool, calm and under control"; "It's all about respect"; and "Are you looking at me?" Why not?". The complainants all believed that the ads were designed to appeal to young people and implied it was cool to drink the product which could contribute to popularity, attractiveness or confidence. We agreed with the complainants, considering that the campaign's strapline: "You've got to be one to drink one" could give the impression that the people shown were attractive, confident and popular and therefore consumption of the product would make the viewer "cool" like them. We also considered that the ad was likely to appeal strongly to people aged under the age of 18 and that that the qualities assigned to the people shown in the ads were presented as something to aspire to.