Ad description
A TV ad for Haig Whiskey was broadcast on Channel 4 at 8:30 am on 12 April 2017 during the TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond”.
Issue
The complainant challenged whether the ad was inappropriately scheduled, because it was shown during a programme likely to appeal particularly to audiences below the age of 18 years.
Response
Channel Four Television Corporation t/a Channel 4 responded that it did not believe that ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ had particular appeal to audiences below the age of 18. They said that based on ratings from previous shows they did not think that it would have particular appear to audiences below the age of 18 and provided audience data for every episode of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ broadcast at the same time for over 12 months prior to the complaint.
Diageo Great Britain provided information to demonstrate that ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ was mostly viewed by audiences over the age of 18.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA noted the ad was for a drink that contained more than 1.2% alcohol by volume and therefore should not be broadcast in or adjacent to programmes commissioned for, principally directed or likely to appeal particularly to audiences below the age of 18.
We noted that the audience data for the specific episode of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ in which the ad appeared indicated that on that occasion it had particular appeal to under 18-year-olds. However, we noted that the programme was not commissioned for or principally directed for audiences below the age of 18. Additionally, episodes of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ had been regularly aired at the same time over the preceding year and the audience data for those episodes showed that ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ generally had low appeal to audiences under the age of 18. We noted that the episode complained about was broadcast during the school holidays, but from the historical audience data, there did not appear to be any correlation between school holidays and considerably more people under the age of 18 watching ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’. Because of this we considered that Channel 4 had no reason to think that the specific episode of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ that had been complained about would have had particular appeal to audiences below the age of 18 prior to the programme being shown. We considered that it was appropriate for Channel 4 to have used audience data for previous episodes of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ that were broadcast at the same time of day in order to decide where it was appropriate for them to schedule their ads. We therefore concluded that the ad had been appropriately scheduled.
We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rules 32.2 and 32.2.1 (Scheduling of television and radio advertisements), but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
