Ads for the alcohol brand Litty Liquor featuring rapper ArrDee encouraged excessive and irresponsible drinking, according to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
In the UK, alcohol ads must not appeal particularly to children regardless of whether the ad is appropriately targeted. They are also prohibited from showing, in a significant role, people who are, or appear to be, under the age of 25.
GETLIT
A third post featured a video of ArrDee in an empty nightclub, trying and rejecting two unidentified brands of rum before he was shown in a distillery mixing liquids, making notes, and testing the results until he was happy.The video then cuts back to the nightclub which became filled with people and loud music, as ArrDee danced away from the camera to join friends on the dance floor.
The final scene showed a box of Litty Liquor’s products, along with the on-screen text “#GETLIT”.
ASA also received one complaint that the ads breached advertising rules because they featured someone who was, or seemed to be, under 25, and “encouraged excessive and irresponsible consumption of alcohol.”
Litty Liquor, also responding on behalf of ArrDee, confirmed that the rapper was under 25 years of age at the time the ads were seen, and apologised for his presence, which they accepted was in breach of the rules.
Litty Liquor and ArrDee said they understood how the phrase “#GETLIT” could have been perceived as promoting excessive and irresponsible alcohol consumption, but said they had intended to promote their products in a responsible and appropriate manner.
They said that they had removed the ads, and would be reviewing their advertising policies and procedures in order to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
The ASA said, “We understood that the word “lit” had a long history of being used as a slang term for being drunk, and that it had also become popular within the rap music scene to indicate being intoxicated.
“We noted that in recent years the term “lit” had also been used in rap music to mean that something was exciting, or of an excellent quality.
“However, because the ad was focused on the creation and consumption of an alcoholic drink, and was set in a nightclub and a distillery, we considered that consumers would likely associate the phrase “#GETLIT” … to relate to the consumption of alcohol, and becoming intoxicated.
“We therefore considered that the ad was likely to encourage excessive consumption of alcohol.
Tougher Laws
A growing number of young people in the UK are choosing to drink less or stay sober.However, some groups want the government to bring in tougher laws on alcohol marketing.
The Alcohol Health Alliance UK (AHA) wants to introduce comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising across multiple media, including restrictions on sponsorships and activities targeting young people.
It suggests age verification technology online as well as restrictions on alcohol advertising in cinemas to films with an 18 certificate.
