Ad description
A TV ad for Corona Extra lager seen on 6 May 2018. The ad showed a group of friends on a bus with a box of Corona, then on mopeds with the Corona on the back. The group was shown trekking through the jungle and then running into the sea. There was a close-up shot of a lime wedge being dropped into a bottle of Corona. Relaxing music played in the background.
The group was then shown in the water again, then walking on the beach. The ad then showed a man carrying a box of Corona along the beach and then a man handing a woman a bottle of Corona. The final shot showed the group sitting by a fire and a makeshift shelter on the beach with the sun setting in the background. On-screen text stated “THIS IS LIVING”.
Issue
The complainant, who believed the ad encouraged swimming whilst consuming alcohol, challenged whether the ad was irresponsible.
Response
AB InBev UK Ltd said that throughout the depicted journey to the beach the box of Corona remained unopened and there was no suggestion that any member of the group had consumed alcohol before they entered the water. It was only after the group emerged from the water after swimming, indicated by their wet hair, and settled on the beach that the box was brought forward and an open bottle was handed to a woman. That was the first time an opened bottle was featured and the ad did not show them returning to the water after drinking.
AB InBev UK said that it was clear that the consumption of alcohol took place after swimming and none of the individuals were shown drinking immoderately at any stage. They said the ad did not feature, imply, condone or encourage irresponsible drinking and did not imply that physical activity was undertaken after the consumption of alcohol.
Clearcast said that they worked with the agency at script stage to ensure that any activity featured in the ad should not be associated with drinking and that it was clear that the characters in the ad were not drinking before or during these activities.
Clearcast said that the few brief hero shots of the product inside the cool box and a lime being inserted into the neck of the bottle were intended to illicit a taste and refreshment response, they were detached from the narrative and there was no indication that beer was being consumed throughout the day. It was only after the swimming scenes when the characters were sitting around a campfire at the end of the day, that there was any suggestion of alcohol being consumed, although no actual drinking scenes were shown. They said that the ad was unlikely to encourage swimming whilst consuming alcohol, or irresponsible drinking.
Assessment
Not upheld
The BCAP Code stated that ads may feature sporting and other physical activities but must not imply that those activities had been undertaken after the consumption of alcohol.
The ASA noted that while the group were shown taking alcohol with them on their journey to the beach, the ad included only a brief shot of unopened bottles in a box. None of the group was shown drinking alcohol before they entered the water or taking alcohol into the water with them.
We noted that, between scenes of the group in the water, the ad showed a lime wedge being inserted into the neck of a Corona bottle. However, the bottle was shown to be dry, upright and steady against a background of foliage. We therefore considered that it was clear it was not being handled by someone who was in the water. In that context we considered viewers were likely to interpret the shot as a general reference to the refreshing nature of the product.
We noted that during the swimming scenes no one was shown with alcohol and it was not until after the group had left the water that the box of Corona was brought out, or that anyone was shown handling alcohol; after which the group were not shown swimming again.
We concluded that the ad did not encourage swimming whilst consuming alcohol and therefore was not irresponsible.
We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rules
19.2
19.2
Advertisements must not feature, imply, condone or encourage irresponsible or immoderate drinking. That applies to both the amount of drink and the way drinking is portrayed.
References to, or suggestions of, buying repeat rounds of alcoholic drinks are not acceptable. That does not prevent, for example, someone buying a drink for each member of a group. It does, however, prevent any suggestion that other members of the group will buy a round.
(Alcohol) 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), but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action required.
