We are not amused: ASA pours booze ads down the drain

The bosses at Strongbow and Jägermeister will no doubt be drowning their sorrows this week after both brands have been forced by the ad watchdog to scrap “amusing” advertising campaigns after being told they were no laughing matter.

First up, an Instagram post by the comedian Al Nash featured a video of him playing a character and had the caption “trying to work when it’s sunny outside”.

The man said into his mobile phone, “Hey, sorry I can’t make the barbecue later. But have a great time and I’ll see you soon.” He ended the call.

There then followed a conversation between Nash and a can of Strongbow Strawberry Cider, in which the can berated the man for “Hiding in the shadows when we could be out at that barbecue together.”

The can also said: “Those cold winter months waiting and now we have the perfect opportunity. Friends, sun, music.”

The man responded that he had “stuff to do” but the can countered: “What could possibly compare to cracking me open? Taking the first sip. That crisp, sweet, strawberry sensation.”

But the man then explained he had his wedding vows to write for a ceremony the following day yet conceded that he could possibly “wing it”.

The man then appeared outside in a garden while wearing an apron at the BBQ. He opened the can, said “Cheers guys”, and started to drink from it.

The ad then switched to the next day, where he was suited and booted. Facing the camera, the man said his wedding vows: “Our love is a lot like a can of Strawberry Strongbow, right? Sweet, refreshing and fizzy.”

But one viewer failed to see the funny side, and rifled off a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority, claiming the ad implied that alcohol might be indispensable or take priority in life.

In its defence, Strongbow owner Heineken UK explained the ad was intended to entertain rather than to make a literal claim about alcohol consumption and that the alcoholic content of the drink was not even mentioned in the ad. Even so, it confirmed it had already pulled the spot.

Naturally, the ASA still banned it, concluding the ad portrayed alcohol as being more important than personal relationships and a significant life event. It also warned Heineken about its future conduct.

Meanwhile, over at Jägermeister, the ASA acted off its own bat against two ads that were flagged up by its Active Ad Monitoring system, which uses AI to proactively search for online ads that might break the rules.

The first ad included a bottle of Jägermeister Manifest, positioned above a pair of cupped hands. Several outlines of stars appeared in the background. The caption stated “Manifesting the best nights of your life. Get your bottle of Jägermeister Manifest.”

The second image featured a bottle of Jägermeister on a silver plate, unveiled below a lifted metal cloche. The caption stated “Jägermeister, serving the best night of your life.”

While there were no complaints, the ASA challenged whether the ads were irresponsible and breached the Code because they implied that alcohol was a key component of the success of a social event.

In its defence, Mast-Jägermeister UK didn’t really put up much of a fight, confirming that both ads were an attempt at humour. In fact, the company accepted the ASA’s assessment, and confirmed that both ads, along with similarly themed ads, had been withdrawn.

Even so, the ASA still ruled the ads must not appear again in the forms investigated and warned Mast-Jägermeister UK about future activity.