Ad description
A poster for Fireball, an alcoholic drink, seen on a bus stop in January 2026. Large text stated, “FIREBALL” and “GO FOR THE DOUBLE!” above an image of a bottle of the product, two full shot glasses and a dartboard with a dart in the double-20. Smaller text which stated “bedrinkaware.co.uk” was at the bottom of the ad.
Issue
The complainant, who believed the ad encouraged excessive drinking, challenged whether it was irresponsible.
Response
Sazerac UK Ltd t/a Hi-Spirits believed that the ad did not encourage excessive drinking. They said the phrase “go for the double” was a commonly understood darts expression referring to finishing a leg by hitting a double segment on the dartboard. They said the reference alongside darts imagery would be interpreted by consumers as a playful nod to the game, not as encouragement to drink excessively. They said darts was an established pub pastime in the UK and was inherently social rather than competitive.
Hi-Spirits also believed that, within ‘pub culture’, the phrase “go for the double” referred to buying a round for oneself and a friend. They believed the phrase encouraged social drinking rather than individual overconsumption. They said the imagery of two shot glasses supported that interpretation.
Hi-Spirits said the ad depicted two standard glasses filled with Fireball. They said that, even if both glasses were consumed by an individual, that would equate to two standard units consumed sequentially, which was not itself irresponsible or excessive. They also believed there was nothing in the ad that encouraged binge drinking.
Assessment
Upheld
The CAP Code stated that marketing communications must be socially responsible and must contain nothing that was likely to lead people to adopt styles of drinking that were unwise. For example, they should not encourage excessive drinking.
The ad featured an image of a dartboard, two shot glasses overflowing and a bottle of Fireball alongside the text “FIREBALL GO FOR THE DOUBLE!”. The ASA acknowledged that the word “double” had a clear meaning in darts, and most consumers would understand the phrase “GO FOR THE DOUBLE!”, alongside darts imagery, to refer to hitting a double segment on the dartboard. However, we considered how consumers were likely to interpret that claim in the context of an ad for Fireball, an alcoholic drink.
We considered that “double” was a widely used term in relation to spirits, and that most consumers would commonly understand that it referred to a double measurement of alcohol. Consumers would therefore understand that the ad was making a double entendre, with the principal part of the joke being a call to action to drink a double measurement of the spirit. Although it was not possible to tell whether the glasses in the ad were single or double measurements, we considered that consumers were likely to understand the ad to be suggesting that consuming a double measurement was preferable to a single measurement.
We also considered the supporting imagery. The ad showed two full shot glasses alongside the call to action. We considered that was likely to reinforce the impression of doubling up on shots or measurements because the two glasses were positioned directly alongside the instruction “GO FOR THE DOUBLE!”, and the fact that the glasses appeared to be overflowing suggested abundance and excess rather than a standard measurement. We also considered that the ad did not include anything to indicate the “double” was limited to a single drink or that consumers should stop after one double measure. Instead, it encouraged consumers to choose double measures as the preferable way to consume the product. We also considered that the ad suggested a bolder, higher-stakes option, which in the context of an ad for a spirit was likely to contribute to the impression that consumers were being urged to increase the amount of alcohol consumed. Although we acknowledged the joke being made by the dartboard reference, we considered the call to action encouraged consumers to drink multiple measurements of a spirit, rather than a standard single measurement. Regardless of the number of units being consumed, we considered that the overall impression encouraged excessive drinking.
We therefore considered that by encouraging excessive drinking, the ad was irresponsible and breached the Code.
The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 18.1 (Alcohol).
Action
The ad must not appear again in the form complained of. We told Sazerac UK Ltd t/a Hi-Spirits to ensure their ads were socially responsible and that they did not encourage excessive drinking.
