Why Let Drink Decide TV ads cleared
Two Government funded TV ads for the "Why Let Drink Decide?" campaign have been cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The ASA received 27 complaints about the ads, which feature children talking about future experiences involving alcohol. The ads urge parents to talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol sooner rather than later.
In one ad, children say: "In less than four years, I'll start going to parties where I'll be drinking alcohol; before I turn fifteen, I'll be drinking at a party when a boy will pressure me for sex; I'll be offered things I should say 'no' to; my friends will put pressure on me; I'll be drinking with friends and I'll be challenged to a fight that could leave me in hospital; a stranger will stop and offer me a lift home; I'll be at my first gig, where an older kid will offer me drugs".
Viewers complained that the ads were likely to cause offence because they showed children discussing adult topics and they could cause distress to children. One of the ads only appeared after 9pm.
However, the ASA cleared the ads. It said: "We considered adult viewers were likely to understand the seriousness of the message the ads presented and to recognise the need to consider issues related to families, young people and irresponsible alcohol consumption.
"Although we acknowledged some viewers had found the ads uncomfortable to watch, we considered the content was unlikely to be seen as disproportionate to the seriousness of the message."
The Department for Children, Schools and Families said the ads were intended "to challenge deeply entrenched behaviour associated with alcohol, parents, children and young people".
