Drinks companies warned to tone down raunchy ads
Drinks companies are coming under increasing pressure to tone down the sexual content of their advertisements.
While the age-old marketing adage of "sex sells" has undoubtedly served drinks brands well in the past, using pretty young things in uncompromising positions may soon be outlawed amid fears that these risqué adverts are overtly linking booze with sexual prowess.
In the UK, irresponsible drinking has been cited as a contributory factor in the recent increase in sexually transmitted diseases and underage pregnancies.
At a recent meeting of The Amsterdam Group (TAG), a European Union-wide drinks industry body, drinks company representatives were warned that brands must take a cold shower when it comes to advertising or face the kind of legal curbs currently imposed on tobacco advertising.
Helmut Wagner, director general of TAG, said: "The Amsterdam Group has a number of standards that the companies have signed up to but we need to get a better understanding of how we interpret these.
"The threat from Brussels is a real one, just look at tobacco advertising. We don't want to go down that road and that's why companies should be demonstrating that they can promote a delightful poison in a responsible manner. It's short-term pain for long-term gain."
Adverts that have reportedly been criticised for their over-raunchy nature include Bacardi rum's "Latin Quarter" campaign, a Smirnoff ad featuring a woman having a noisy orgasm in a theatre box and one for Carling depicting a man licking up beer that has been dribbled around a flat by a meagrely-dressed female (pictured).
In response a Bacardi-Martini statement said: "All our advertising passes the regulatory codes, which specifically do not allow advertising to suggest any association with sexual and social success."
Diageo has recently blocked all advertising that alludes to sexual success as part of an overhaul of its own marketing code.
Jim Minton, director of communications for The Portman Group, added: "The Portman Group's code of practice on naming, packaging and promotion is very clear concerning 'sexing up' alcoholic products: a breach of the code is likely if the product suggests any association with sexual success.
"In line with the rules of advertising covered in the codes of both the ASA and the ITC, alcoholic drinks should not be packaged or promoted in a way which suggests bravado, sexual or social success or popularity."
