Red Army vodka 'gun' breaches alcohol marketing code

The Portman Group’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) found that Bartex’s Red Army Vodka has breached alcohol marketing rules because of the association with violent and dangerous behaviour.

In response, Bartex stated the product was simply a glass bottle shaped as a gun, sold in a gift pack, and therefore had no association with weapons or violent behaviour, and later reiterated that it was not their intention to ‘create or promote violence’, stating that it produced alcohol, not weapons.

Inappropriate​

After considering the name, packaging and overall presentation of the product, the Portman Group’s ICP concluded that the name Red Army, in the context of the packaging, together with the packaging itself, were entirely inappropriate for an alcoholic drink, as they suggested a direct association with violent and dangerous behaviour.

Henry Ashworth, chief executive of the Portman Group, said: “Strict UK alcohol marketing rules specifically prohibit an alcoholic drink from being sold if it has any association with bravado, or with violent, aggressive, dangerous or anti-social behaviour.

“On this occasion, the Panel ruled that the product name in the context of the packaging, together with the packaging itself, was too strongly linked to these themes.”

A Retailer Alert Bulletin has been issued instructing licensees and retailers not to place orders for stocks of Red Army Vodka in its current packaging after 20 June 2014.