Advertisements for three Scottish distilleries have been banned for “irresponsible” messages claiming the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of alcohol consumption.
British chef Gordon Ramsay’s collaboration with the Eden Mill distillery led to advertising for Ramsay’s Gin which claimed the spirit contained “a range of micronutrients” and compared it favorably to fruit.
The ad, posted on Ramsay’s Gin’s Instagram and Facebook pages on March 20, featured an image of a bottle of the product with text that read: “Honey strawberries from the botanical underpinnings of Ramsay’s Gin…farmer still a naturally grown philosophy that means Honeyberries retain the rich flavors and micronutrients that come from Scotland’s wonderful terroir.
AS A“With more antioxidants than blueberries, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges, and a taste like a mix of blueberries, plums, and grapes, these might just be the world’s tastiest honeyberries!”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the claims implied a “favorable comparison between the nutrient content of the product and the fruits listed”.
It read: “While we welcomed the action Ramsay’s Gin had taken to remove the advertisements, because the claims ‘retain […] micronutrients’ and contained ‘more antioxidants than blueberries, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges’ were nutritional claims that were not permitted for alcoholic beverages, we concluded that the advertisements violated the Code.
Eden Mill Distillery said the ads were only posted once and then removed. He attributed a lapse in due diligence to being “excited about the opportunity to work with Gordon Ramsay”, and assured that it would not happen again.
In another case, the ASA questioned whether an Instagram post about Smokehead whiskey in June was irresponsible, because it linked alcohol with driving and an activity or place where drinking would not be safe.
AS AIt featured an image of a partially filled whiskey bottle, next to a woman dressed in overalls standing in front of a car with an open hood.
The text read “Working hard or almost out of work? Brilliant accessory, keep coming”, accompanied by a skull and fire emoji.
The ASA ruled that the ad implied that the woman was a mechanic and worked in a garage, considering that while the car was stationary, a mechanic would be expected to operate machinery and would potentially have to drive the car to maneuver it while working. in that.
It read: “While we acknowledged that the post did not show the mechanic drinking from the bottle, we did note that the whiskey bottle was partially full and as such we felt that it gave the impression that the mechanic had been drinking the whisky. while he is at work.
“We felt that the reference to ‘barely works’ also added to that impression.”
Finally, a Scottish brand of spirits came under fire for its June 10 advertisement that “implied that drinking alcohol could overcome problems and had therapeutic qualities.”
AS AA Facebook post on the Stag’s Breath Liqueur page read: “Ha! Happy friday to everyone! #whiskyscotland #FunnyFriday #whskyjokes” [sic] accompanied by smiley face emojis.
Beneath this, it featured text that equated wearing a cast as a child with drinking alcohol as an adult.
The ASA found that consumers could interpret the ad to mean that while a child would only need a Band-Aid to “fix” a minor mistake or injury, in adulthood alcohol could be used instead.
He acknowledged that those who saw the post would understand that it was supposed to be light-hearted and humorous for the end of the work week, however it was found to present alcohol consumption as a solution to difficulties.
The watchdog banned the ad on its complaint form, telling Scotland’s Meikles to ensure future advertising did not imply that alcohol “could help overcome problems in life and had therapeutic qualities”.
