The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) has issued its Fourth Quarterly Report of 2018, which is says highlights the importance of pre-vetting with the association.

In particular ABAC said it is important for alcohol marketers to understand the digital platform that they intend to use and the age restriction controls available for their marketing on that platform.

“This quarter saw six breaches of the Code. Three related to marketers failing to check that the social media influencers promoting their products were over the age of 25. This age requirement is important in ensuring that under 18s are less likely to relate to the actors/influencers used to market an alcohol product,” Harry Jenkins AO, the Independent Chair of ABAC, said.

“Other breaches this quarter included:

  • a wine label with an image of a violent attack on a woman;
  • two social media posts that encouraged excessive consumption and the choice of an alcohol beverage on the basis of its strength and intoxicating effect; and
  • placement of an alcohol advertisement on digital television where it appeared with a broadcast primarily aimed at children.

“In none of the content breaches outlined this quarter or in fact over the past two years had the marketing or packaging been pre-vetted under ABAC. With a record 1,751 pre-vetting requests in 2018, the Alcohol Advertising Pre-vetting Service continues to be an important aspect of ABAC’s work and an effective means of preventing irresponsible alcohol marketing reaching the community.”

“The use of social media influencers has been a challenge for the industry and for ABAC, primarily due to difficulty obtaining information about available age restriction controls from platforms, such as Instagram.

“When using any digital platform it is the marketers responsibility to ask the platform to identify all age restriction controls that are available for their marketing and apply those controls and to also continue to ask these questions for all new campaigns as social media platforms develop at a rapid rate and the availability of controls will change from time to time,” Jenkins added.

Full details of these and other decisions made by ABAC during the fourth quarter are available on the ABAC website.

Andy Young

Andy joined Intermedia as Editor of The Shout in 2015, writing news on a daily basis and also writing features for National Liquor News. Now Managing Editor of both The Shout and Bars and Clubs.

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