The Rocky Mountain News reports that the Beer Institute is creating a new panel that will “encourage compliance” with new beer advertising standards designed to improve the category’s public image. The panel also will serve as a court of last resort for consumers who believe that specific breweries are not being responsive to their complaints.
According to the story, the Beer Institute's advertising and marketing code's general guidelines include:
• Should not portray or imply illegal activity of any kind.
• Beer advertising and marketing materials should not depict Santa Claus.
• Shall only be placed in magazines, on television or on radio where at least 70 percent of the audience is expected to be adults of legal purchase age.
• Should not portray or imply illegal activity of any kind.
• Should not employ any symbol, language, music, gesture or cartoon character that is intended to appeal primarily to persons below the legal purchase age.
• Should not portray sexual passion, promiscuity or any other amorous activity as a result of consuming beer.
• Should not disparage competing beers.
• Should not depict the act of drinking.
According to the story, the Beer Institute's advertising and marketing code's general guidelines include:
• Should not portray or imply illegal activity of any kind.
• Beer advertising and marketing materials should not depict Santa Claus.
• Shall only be placed in magazines, on television or on radio where at least 70 percent of the audience is expected to be adults of legal purchase age.
• Should not portray or imply illegal activity of any kind.
• Should not employ any symbol, language, music, gesture or cartoon character that is intended to appeal primarily to persons below the legal purchase age.
• Should not portray sexual passion, promiscuity or any other amorous activity as a result of consuming beer.
• Should not disparage competing beers.
• Should not depict the act of drinking.
- KC's View:
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We were okay with these guidelines until we got to the last three.
It is hard to imagine beer commercials that don’t link drinking the right beer to attracting a great looking woman. (Not necessarily a reflection of real life, but since when did that become a prerequisite for advertising?)
And lately, the Miller-Anheuser battles seem to have gotten increasingly disparaging, not less so.
Finally, we think the last one is silly. If you are an adult and you order a beer, the logical next step is to drink it.
Why do commercials pretend otherwise?
