Background
Summary of Council decision:
Three issues were investigated all of which were Upheld.
Ad description
The Facebook page for Fireball Whiskey showed various ads:
a. A post included a link to a blog titled "A day in the life of a University of Portsmouth student". The blog featured text which stated "My favourite game, which most certainly is not on the UCAS site, the stamp game. Basically, you have to get the most stamps you can, but the stamp is only valid if you have at least 2 shots per bar you're in, so get your alcohol tolerance up fellow students. There's reputation at hand here!". Text at the foot of the blog stated "The views in this blog do not necessarily represent the views of Fireball and its staff. Fireball encourages everybody to drink responsibly".
b. A post included a link to a blog titled "A day in the life of Lampeter University student". The blog featured text which stated "All good students know that there's only one way to get as drunk as we want without being broke the next day, and the answer of course, pre drinks. As we were getting ready with our costumes, the six people I live with congregated every now and then on our landings or in each others rooms for pre-pre-pre drinks. The pre-pre drinks. Then pre-drinks. My room is the only one stocked with fireball whiskey and apple juice so it's always the place where my house-mates flock to (can you blame them?)". Text at the foot of the blog stated "The views in this blog do not necessarily represent the views of Fireball and its staff. Fireball encourages everybody to drink responsibly".
c. A post included a link to a blog titled "A day in the life of a University of Nottingham student". The blog featured text which stated "Not long before the taxis are due, you stumble over a ... well, you don't stumble over anything actually. You just stumble over. You sensibly and correctly conclude that you're not drunk enough - time for the Fireball to come out!". Text at the foot of the blog stated "The views, opinions and positions expressed in the posts and comments of this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the views, opinions and positions of Fireball, Hi Spirits Ltd or any employee thereof. Neither Fireball nor Hi Spirits Ltd is responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the authors".
d. A post which was titled "How much is your partner worth?" included an image of a t-shirt with the slogan "I'D DUMP MY BOYFRIEND FOR MORE FIREBALL CINNAMON WHISKY".
e. A post stated "The only thing more important to me than Fireball is ----?" and allowed people to comment and fill in the blank.
Issue
The Youth Alcohol Advertising Council, challenged whether ads (a), (b) and (c) were irresponsible, because they:
1. were likely to exploit the young, immature and vulnerable; and
2. encouraged excessive drinking and styles of drinking that were unwise.
3. The Youth Alcohol Advertising Council also challenged whether ads (d) and (e) were irresponsible, because they implied that alcohol was indispensable and took priority in life.
Response
1. & 2. Hi Spirits Ltd (Hi Spirits) explained that following a review of their social media advertising they had removed ads (a), (b) and (c).
3. Hi Spirits believed ads (d) and (e) were not irresponsible and did not imply that alcohol was indispensable and took priority in life. They said the posts were written in jest and believed consumers would not understand the ads to mean that alcohol was indispensable or took priority in life.
Assessment
1. & 2. Upheld
The ASA welcomed Hi Spirits' comments that they had withdrawn ads (a), (b) and (c). Notwithstanding that, we noted ads (a), (b) and (c) referred to the social activities of the authors. All three ads placed a strong emphasis on the importance of alcohol in those nightlife activities. In particular, we noted the blog, in ad (a), referred to a drinking game in which the aim of the game was to collect the most stamps; stamps were collected by drinking shots. The blog featured text which stated "get your alcohol tolerance up fellow students. There's reputation at hand here!". The blog, in ad (b), featured text, which stated "All good students know that there's only one way to get as drunk as we want without being broke the next day, and the answer of course, pre drinks". We also noted the blog in ad (c) featured text, which stated "You just stumble over. You sensibly and correctly conclude that you're not drunk enough - time for the Fireball to come out!". We considered the presentation of ads (a), (b) and (c) encouraged excessive drinking and styles of drinking that were unwise and were likely to exploit the young. For those reasons, we concluded that the breached the Code.
On this point, ads (a), (b) and (c) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 1.3 Marketing communications must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society. (Social responsibility) and 18.1 18.1 Marketing communications must be socially responsible and must contain nothing that is likely to lead people to adopt styles of drinking that are unwise. For example, they should not encourage excessive drinking. Care should be taken not to exploit the young, the immature or those who are mentally or socially vulnerable. (Alcohol).
3. Upheld
We noted the CAP Code required marketing communications to be socially responsible and not to imply that alcohol might be indispensable or take priority in life.
We noted ad (d) included an image of a T-shirt with the slogan "I'D DUMP MY BOYFRIEND FOR MORE FIREBALL CINNAMON WHISKY". We considered that claim presented alcohol as taking priority over personal relationships and therefore implied that alcohol took priority in life.
We considered the question "The only thing more important to me than Fireball is …?", posed in ad (e), implied that only a single thing was more important than Fireball Whiskey. We noted the responses to that question identified family members; breathing and other alcoholic beverages as the only thing more important than Fireball Whiskey. In that manner, we considered the ad presented Fireball Whiskey as indispensable in life.
We considered the presentation of ads (d) and (e) was socially irresponsible and therefore breached the Code.
On this point, ads (d) and (e) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 1.3 Marketing communications must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society. (Social responsibility), 18.1 18.1 Marketing communications must be socially responsible and must contain nothing that is likely to lead people to adopt styles of drinking that are unwise. For example, they should not encourage excessive drinking. Care should be taken not to exploit the young, the immature or those who are mentally or socially vulnerable. and 18.6 18.6 Marketing communications must not imply that alcohol might be indispensable or take priority in life or that drinking alcohol can overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems. (Alcohol).
Action
The ads must not appear again in their current form. We told Hi Spirits Ltd not to encourage excessive drinking and styles of drinking that were unwise, exploit the young or present alcohol as indispensable in life.
