It’s National Cocktail Day on the 24th March, chin chin to you! Whether you’re celebrating with a mocktail, or something more robust, you can pack a punch with your creativity but remember to approach compliance with a sober head.
Here’s a menu of things bear in mind when you’re in the mix for an alcohol-related ad.
Bloody mary (hold the booze)
Isn’t that just tomato juice, I hear you ask?
Well, no – there’s all sorts of things you can do to pep up the red stuff without the strong stuff, including alcohol alternatives.
However, you should be aware that where an ad for a drink at or below 0.5% has the effect of promoting an alcoholic drink, the alcohol rules apply in full.
Light and seabreezy
Ads for alcoholic drinks may give factual information about product contents (rule 18.17) including comparisons, but should avoid claims relating to health, fitness or weight-control.
The only permitted nutrition claims are "low alcohol", "reduced alcohol" and "reduced energy" and any claim likely to have the same meaning for the consumer.
Mind eraser, no chaser
Aside from claims about physical health, ads must not claim that alcohol has therapeutic qualities, including those that state or imply alcohol is capable of changing mood or behaviour, for instance.
This pirate-themed Facebook ad for a rum brand fell afoul of the Code by presenting drinking alcohol as a solution for problems in life which might include mental health concerns.
Sex on the beach
Ads featuring alcohol should not irresponsibly link it with activities or locations in which drinking would be unsafe or unwise (rule 18.12). In terms of locations, simply featuring a beach is not likely to automatically breach the Code. However, a cinema ad which showed people holding beer bottles at a beach party immediately before a scene of them rushing towards the sea and jumping into the waves was partly upheld against because it was considered that viewers were likely to infer that the characters had been drinking alcohol before going swimming at night (Wells & Young Brewing Company Ltd, 30 November 2011).
Linking alcohol with seduction, sexual activity or success, or enhanced attractiveness is also likely to be a problem. The ASA has upheld complaints about ads which implied that getting drunk increased your chances of sexual success and that alcohol can “make you look better naked”.
Need more advice?
We’ll leave the mixology to the experts, but for free, bespoke advice on your non-broadcast advertising you can contact the Copy Advice team. We also offer Advice:am seminars and eLearning modules on some of the topics addressed above.
More on
-
Keep up to date
Sign up to our rulings, newsletters and emargoed access for Press. Subscribe now.
