Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Carlsberg, AB InBev and other major alcohol brands have partnered with tech giants in the UK to tackle the issues around alcohol advertising.
Tech giants Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitter will collaborate with major beer, wine and spirit companies to prevent underage viewers from being exposed to alcohol advertising - an issue that has plagued the platforms in recent months.
The partnership will allow viewers the option to opt out of alcohol ads in an effort by the companies to practise responsible advertising.
Advertising in alcohol has become a point of contention in recent years, with research finding alcohol marketing linked to underage drinking.
Research revealed at the 2016 APSAD Scientific Alcohol and Drugs Conference has shown alcohol ads to reach underage viewers and lead to earlier and heavier drinking habits in young teens.
The same research found participants aged 15-17 were just as likely as older participants to 'like' or 'follow' alcohol pages on social media.
The Alcohol Advertising Review Board (AARB) previously told AdNews that alcohol brands do not belong on social platforms and have campaigned to "end the charade of alcohol advertising".
An Australian study released this year found alcohol adverts often use actors who are perceived as being under the age of 25 – a direct contravention of the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code.
Captain Morgan's owner Diageo, which paused ad spending with Snapchat and YouTube earlier this year amid concern of children viewing their ads, made an announcement of the partnership via Twitter.
https://twitter.com/DiageoGB/status/1042340343985987584
Booze brands across the globe are promising to commit to higher standards of responsible advertising and use the most up-to-date safeguards when advertising on the media platforms.
The UK deal could be mirrored Down Under with Australian alcohol brands also looking to introduce solutions in this space.
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