ABAC updates best practice guide for responsible alcohol sponsorship

By AdNews | 21 January 2025
 
Quan Nguyen via Unsplash

The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) has updated its best practice guide for responsible alcohol sponsorship.

The new guide highlights how the Code currently applies to sponsorship activity and the new guidance for sponsorship agreements will assist the industry to proactively ensure that their decision to engage in an agreement with a particular individual, group or event is socially responsible.

The guide builds on the ABAC’s existing range of compliance training resources, which are freely available on the ABAC website, and the ABAC pre-vetting service for checking ads before going to market.

Last quarter, social media posts and website images showing or directly implying alcohol consumption before or
while swimming in a pool or engaging in water-based activities were the most common reason for a Code breach.

Other concerns that resulted in breaches of Code standards highlight for marketers where care is needed when
developing marketing included use of themes that are relatable to minors, such as images of confectionery or Santa Claus; suggestions that alcohol offers hydration, a health benefit or the absence of negative consequences; suggestions that drinking alcohol will help you make friends or lift your mood; and placement during a children’s podcast.

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