The Little Drinks Company Ltd t/a Retail in Motion E4 Three Rock Road Sandyford Business Park Dublin 18 Ireland

Date: 1 October 2008 Media: Magazine Sector: Alcohol

Ad
A magazine ad, for Saile and Sabga champagne, featured a black and white image of a man and woman on a speed boat.  The woman was dressed in a bikini and stilettos and held a bottle of champagne in her hand.  She sat with her legs spread wide apart.  A man, wearing a pair of shorts, lay on his back between the woman's legs, and held her right leg while she poured champagne onto his chest.

Issue
The ASA challenged whether the ad was irresponsible, because it linked alcohol with seduction, and showed alcohol being handled irresponsibly.

The CAP Code:

56.2;56.9

Response
Retail in Motion said they had withdrawn the ad and would not use it again.

Assessment
Upheld
The ASA noted Retail in Motion had withdrawn the ad and had no plans to use it again.  We noted the models were scantily clad and seated in a pose normally associated with intimacy; the woman's legs were spread apart and the man was seated between them, holding her by the ankle.  We noted the models were depicted in a seemingly glamorous environment aboard a yacht; both were tanned from the sun and attractive.  The woman was pouring champagne over the man's chest.  We considered that readers of the ad were likely to infer that her motive for doing so was seduction.  We considered that the handling of champagne in this way would be seen by readers as a metaphor for seduction. However, it was unlikely to be regarded as irresponsible on the basis that it, for example, might lead people to adopt styles of drinking that were unwise.  We concluded that the ad linked alcohol with seduction but did not show alcohol being handled irresponsibly.

The ad breached CAP Code clause 56.9 (Alcoholic drinks) but did not breach 56.2 (Alcoholic drinks).

Action
The ad must not appear again in its current form.  We advised Retail in Motion to contact the CAP Copy Advice team for guidance with future ads.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)