Young's dealt a bitter blow by new alcohol rules

25 January 2006

 The first ban on an alcohol ad since new rules came into force last year shows that the ASA is set to take a tougher stance on campaigns.

This month, the ASA upheld complaints for Young’s Bitter poster advertising on the grounds that the campaign linked alcohol with social success and sexual prowess.

One ad showed a man dressed in a white suit with a ram’s head, next to a swimming pool and surrounded by scantily-clad women in bikinis paying him attention. The tagline, alongside a pint of beer and Young’s logo, read “This is a ram’s world”. The second execution featured the same ram-headed man in a gentleman’s club, this time flanked by men laughing at his jokes, and carried the same strapline.

The ads are part of a campaign launched in 2004 to revitalise the traditional brand, which has always been symbolised by a ram’s head. The ASA did not accept Young’s argument that the idea of the ram was so preposterous that the viewer would understand the situations were not meant to depict real life. The brewer was ordered to withdraw the posters and avoid making the same mistakes in future.

For those advertisers that called for more clarity in how to interpret the new code when the regulations were unveiled, this case should act as a useful benchmark. A stricter code governing the promotion of alcohol was drawn up in October, in response to concern about the effect of advertising on underage and irresponsible drinking.

In addition to enhanced attractiveness to the opposite sex and social success, alcohol advertising must not be linked with popularity or confidence, anti-social behaviour, solitary drinking, improved physical performance, strength, irresponsible and under-age drinking or therapeutic qualities.