ASA pulls plug on baby-faced rapper rum promotion

Litty Liquor, the spiced rum brand founded by 20-year-old baby-faced Brighton rapper ArrDee, has had its knuckles rapped by the ad watchdog over Instagram posts which it deemed encouraged excessive and irresponsible drinking.

ArrDee launched spiced rum 4Realli as the first product in his Litty Liquor range last year, and Instagram posts from the brand’s account featured photos of him mixing two flavours of rum and then partying with friends on the dancefloor.

The text “#GETLIT” appeared at the end of the ad alongside a box of Litty Liquor’s products.

However, one Instagrammer took exception to the posts, rifling off a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority and also challenged the fact that one of the posts used the phrase ‘Get Lit’ which it was claimed could encourage excessive and irresponsible consumption of alcohol.

The CAP Code states that people shown drinking alcohol or playing a significant role in marketing or alcohol must not be, or appear to be, under 25 years of age.

In response to the complaint, Litty Liquor apologised for ArrDee’s presence in the ads and accepted that they breached the ASA’s Code.

The ASA said it understood that the term ‘lit’ was used as slang for being drunk, and had also become popular in rap music to suggest intoxication. Furthermore, the watchdog recognised that in recent years the word suggested something “exciting, or of an excellent quality”.

And, in its ruling, the ASA said its use of the term in a nightclub setting and the focus on creating and drinking an alcoholic product would be interpreted by consumers as being related to alcohol consumption.

Upholding the complaint that the post was likely to encourage excessive alcohol consumption, the ASA warned Litty Liquor and ArrDee about its future conduct.

As a result, the brand insisted it would review its advertising policies and procedures.