Cider brand Koppaberg has been ordered not to show a TV advert after it was ruled it appealed to under-18s by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The TV ad, shown on 29 June 2011, showed various people walking from the street down into an underground nightclub. The ad then showed the dance floor of the club and various people dancing to music in slow motion amid flashing lights. It then cut to a colour product shot of three Kopparberg cider bottles.
One viewer challenged whether the ad was irresponsible because it was likely to appeal strongly to people under-18 years of age.
Cider of Sweden Ltd (COS), the owner of Kopparberg, defended its position claiming that all of the actors in the ad were aged 25 or over and that no one was seen drinking or holding a drink.
They said the product itself did not appear until the end frame and was therefore disassociated with the nightclub scenes in the ad.
However, the ASA said that the advertising code requires that TV alcohol ads must not be likely to appeal strongly to people under 18, irrespective of the age of the actors or how, if or when the product itself was featured.
The ASA concluded that the overall impression of the scenario and music combined was one that was likely to appeal strongly to people under 18 and was irresponsible.