Consumers are being asked to complain to the Portman Group if they see alcoholic drinks being promoted in an "unacceptable way".
Portman appeals for consumer complaints - General News - Morning Advertiser
The snippet of information that caught my eye here was :
"It is completely unacceptable for alcohol to be promoted in a way which glamorises drinking, encourages excessive drinking, or appeals to young people."
While I accept that few, if any adverts I have seen, encourage excessive drinking, and a great many more adverts are aimed less and less at younger people, how can you now advertise an alcoholic product in a way that does not "glamorise drinking?"
Almost any advertisement on television glamorises the product it is selling, as it is an effective way to sell! I am assuming they mean here that they are trying to negate the effects of alcohol on young people etc, but surely the onus is not on alcohol advertisers to get this point across, but rather more that education, legislation and the prudence of the alcohol seller as well as the imbiber, is surely a far better way to encourage sensible drinking? Why do we feel as a nation an insufferable need to nanny the mildly cretinous?
This is very shaky ground. I think any advert can be accused of glamorising the product, and in doing so with an alcoholic drink, you can argue that you are glamorising drinking.
While at this time of year in particular, I understand the need for a sense of prudence and sensibility as regards alcohol, I fail to see why companies should be punished for making their product look glamorous! By all means, if they target youngsters, or make wild extravagant claims, complain, but I think the wording of this needed to be more clearly thought out.
Portman appeals for consumer complaints - General News - Morning Advertiser
The snippet of information that caught my eye here was :
"It is completely unacceptable for alcohol to be promoted in a way which glamorises drinking, encourages excessive drinking, or appeals to young people."
While I accept that few, if any adverts I have seen, encourage excessive drinking, and a great many more adverts are aimed less and less at younger people, how can you now advertise an alcoholic product in a way that does not "glamorise drinking?"
Almost any advertisement on television glamorises the product it is selling, as it is an effective way to sell! I am assuming they mean here that they are trying to negate the effects of alcohol on young people etc, but surely the onus is not on alcohol advertisers to get this point across, but rather more that education, legislation and the prudence of the alcohol seller as well as the imbiber, is surely a far better way to encourage sensible drinking? Why do we feel as a nation an insufferable need to nanny the mildly cretinous?
This is very shaky ground. I think any advert can be accused of glamorising the product, and in doing so with an alcoholic drink, you can argue that you are glamorising drinking.
While at this time of year in particular, I understand the need for a sense of prudence and sensibility as regards alcohol, I fail to see why companies should be punished for making their product look glamorous! By all means, if they target youngsters, or make wild extravagant claims, complain, but I think the wording of this needed to be more clearly thought out.