Comment: Look, we are responsible!

It's been a bad few weeks for alcohol advertisers, and it's got me thinking about the appropriate way for the drinks industry to respond to unprecedented scrutiny from government.

Advertisers and regulator the Advertising Standards Authority have been charged by the Health Select Committee, mid-way through an inquiry into alcohol misuse, with complacency on their responsibilities at a time when there are undeniable drinking problems in Britain (see page p34).

It is tempting to look on the phenomenon of responsible drinking advertising funded by drinks companies as a direct response to this. Pernod Ricard has the latest (see News, page 11), but it is far from alone in creating something that could be pointed to, saying "look, we are responsible".

In the midst of this comes a report that is highly critical of the current wave of 'corporate social responsibility' initiatives. The European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing picks holes in drinks companies' practices on the grounds of being disingenuous. It suggests that, rather than being motivated by social consciences, Pernod and the rest are funding these ads with the ultimate aim of selling more booze.

It's a tricky one. Businesses are always going to want to sell more product, yet at the same time - to stave off increased regulation - they are obliged to stress moderate drinking. Which essentially means working to reduce consumption of their product.

There is undoubtedly some element of these campaigns being created in order for producers to scream responsibility at a time when they have to be seen to be doing something. Who can blame them? Doing nothing under the glare of a government inquiry is not an option.