Heineken UK has said it is “disappointed” after an advert for its Heineken 0.0 alcohol-free lager was found to have breached marketing guidelines.
The paid-for social media advert, which featured Formula One driver Max Verstappen holding a bottle of Heineken 0.0 beer, had failed to provide a “sufficiently prominent statement of the product’s abv”, advertising watchdog the ASA said.
“The only reference in the ad to abv was the label on the bottle of Heineken 0.0 beer held by Max Verstappen,” the ASA said. “However, the bottle of Heineken 0.0 beer was relatively small, especially comparing the text on the label to the image of Max Verstappen, who was the focus of the ad. We therefore did not consider that was a sufficiently prominent statement of the product’s abv.”
The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) states marketing communications for alcohol alternatives must clearly and prominently display the product’s abv.
This was especially important as some consumers do not “wish to consume drinks with even trace amounts of alcohol”, the ASA said.
The advert must not appear again in the form complained of, it ruled.
“Our rules are clear, ads for alcohol alternatives must include a prominent statement of their abv,” said a spokeswoman for the ASA. “There are many reasons why people don’t want to consume even trace amounts of alcohol, and there’s a real risk of physical or emotional harm if they were to do so unknowingly.
“In In this case, we considered that the reference to the abv in the ad wasn’t sufficiently prominent, especially in comparison to other text and images in the ad, so the ad broke the rules.”
On a separate count the ASA concluded, however, that the advert did not irresponsibly encourage drink driving.
Heineken UK acknowledged the ad’s creative ought to have featured the Heineken 0.0 logo as opposed to the Heineken logo in the bottom right hand corner, but insisted it believed it was clear the ad was for Heineken 0.0.
“Heineken UK prides itself on being a responsible advertiser, and although we are disappointed with the outcome of the ASA ruling, we respect the decision,” a spokesman for the supplier said.
“We maintain that it was clear that the advert was for Heineken 0.0, and anti-drink driving, however we accept that the Heineken masterbrand logo in the bottom right of the ad should have been the Heineken 0.0 logo to reinforce the abv, and this will be reflected in any future campaigns.”
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