Social media posts by Strongbow and Jägermeister have been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for suggesting that alcohol takes priority in life and social settings.
Two Jägermeister ads on social media and one Instagram skit promoting a can of strawberry Strongbow – which is owned by Heineken – have been banned by the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA).
The rulings, which form part of a wider piece of work on alcohol advertising, were identified by the ASA’s AI-powered monitoring system.
The two Jägermeister ads, which were made for Facebook and Instagram, were flagged for containing the caption “the best night(s) of your life,” which the watchdog deemed irresponsible.
While Mast-Jagermeister, which makes Jagermeister, argued their ads around “best nights” were based on consumers going out and enjoying nightlife rather than alcohol, the ASA’s found the ads breached the UK’s broadcasting code.
“Marketing communications must not imply that drinking alcohol is a key component of the success of a social event… [ads] must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society,” the watchdog said.
The company has since withdrawn both ads and said that they would be increasingly mindful of the issues raised as a result of the investigation.
Peer-pressuring Strongbow can banned from Instagram
The Heineken ad, meanwhile, featured the comedian Al Nash in a skit with an AI Strongbow character.
The post, which Heineken said said was “intended to entertain rather than to make a literal claim about alcohol consumption”, featured a man being persuaded by the talking AI Strongbow can to drink at a barbecue with his friends rather than write his wedding vows.
“It was a comedic device to externalise an exaggerated, internal monologue, rather than a serious suggestion that cider offered life guidance or emotional relief,” Strongbow told the ASA.
Nevertheless, the watchdog ruled than the can “undermined” Nash’s character, peer-pressuring him into drinking and “downplayed the importance of a groom writing his vows for his wedding the following day compared to drinking alcohol at the barbecue”.
The ad has been banned from appearing again in the form complained of.
Crackdown on alcohol advertising
The two rulings follow a number of decisions earlier this year to ban alcohol advertisement promoting unhealthy drinking.
A poster promoting BrewDog’s Wingman beer was taken down in August for implying alcohol was a remedy for “boredom, loneliness or other problems”.
In May, a FourLoko ad showing an image of a man dramatically pouring an 8.4 per cent ABV can of the drink into his open mouth was banned for encouraging unwise drinking styles.
The company behind VK, Global Brands, found itself in the same position in April when a paid Instagram story – reading “Doing Dry January? One won’t hurt, right?” – was judged to be irresponsible given the public health context of the month.
Taken together, the succession of ruling suggests a wider crackdown by the watchdog on ads deemed to be anti-public health.