Banned food and drink advertising campaigns – in pictures
Diageo’s rum brand was banned after complaints that linked its consumption to daring, toughness and aggressive behaviour.
Heineken fell into hot water with the regulatory body for a campaign that suggested its Kronenbourg beer was brewed in France not the UK.
It’s the second time the beer giant has seen a campaign banned in the last year. In July, its ‘Road to the Final’ TV campaign was scrapped after complaints it promoted the prohibited use of glass bottles in football stadiums.
Advertising expert Ian Twinn, director of public affairs for ISBA – the voice of British Advertisers, told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “I do feel sorry for our members when they get an advert banned, sometimes they are pushing the boundaries too hard.
‘Often a fine line’
“It is often a fine line [whether something has broken regulation] that may have come from a competitive complaint. Either way, you don’t want glass bottles in football stadiums – we know what can go wrong there.”
Twin also attacked campaigners’ actions to restrict marketing for food and drink products without evidence as “reckless and extreme”.
Unilever saw its Flora pro-activ ad banned for making false health claims and its piri piri Pot Noodle campaign ruled to include “offensive images”, by the ASA.
The ASA said big brands faced a tough challenge to put out a number of advertising campaigns each year and comply with advertising regulations.
To find out all about these, and the other campaigns banned by the ASA in the last 12 months, view our gallery of banned food and drink advertising campaigns.
