A TV advert for AB InBev’s Camden Town Brewery has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for appealing to under 18s.
An unnamed complainant said their young children found the advert engaging and challenged whether it was likely to appeal strongly to people under 18 years of age.
The advert was accused by the ASA of appealing to under 18s through its use of cartoonlike characters and a ‘playful tone’.
Banned: A TV advert for AB InBev’s Camden Town Brewery has been banned by the ASA
AB InBev and Camden Town Brewery had asserted that the inclusion of animated characters alone would not make an advert of strong appeal to under-18s.
They cited cartoon shows such as Family Guy, South Park and Futurama, which are aimed at an adult audience, as evidence of this.
However, AB InBev and Camden Town Brewery have been told by the ASA that the advert must not appear in its current form again, and the group must ensure future adverts do not appeal to under 18s.
The ASA said: ‘While we acknowledged that those elements were adult-oriented and would not necessarily be familiar or attractive to under-18s, we considered that other aspects of the ad were more playful and child-like.
‘The colours were bold and striking, notably the bright red of the bar, the yellow and orange of the beer river and the bright wall of neon signs.
‘We considered that younger viewers were likely to find that imagery engaging.
‘The character was dragged through a beer pipe and taken on a journey through a fantastical-looking world with surreal background characters and a beer river.
‘We considered that those features would be seen as fun and engaging, and likely to appeal to a younger audience.’
‘Engaging’: An unnamed complainant said their young children found the advert engaging
ASA view: The ASA said the advert was likely to ‘appeal strongly’ to people under 18
The ASA added the advert was likely to ‘appeal strongly’ to people under 18, and the brewery had been ‘irresponsible’ and breached rules.
A spokesperson for Camden Town Brewery, said: ‘We take our role as responsible marketers very seriously, and always seek to ensure that our communications are directed only to those above the legal drinking age and are carried out in a socially responsible manner.’
AB InBev, which is the world’s largest brewer, saw its second-quarter revenue in the US, its largest market, drop 10.5 per cent after a backlash over a partnership with a transgender influencer led to a sales drop. Operating profits dropped nearly 30 per cent in the second quarter.
