An Instagram ad featuring an ambassador for alcoholic seltzer company Hard Fizz has been removed for encouraging excessive alcohol consumption.
Paul Fisher is a DJ known as FISHER and is often an ambassador featuring in the company's marketing.
The complaint relates to a video post made to the company’s Instagram page in which:
The video commences with footage of a person holding a can of Hard Fizz and saying: “Who says this shit doesn’t get you drunk??”. These words are superimposed on the screen.
Footage of people dancing and drinking Hard Fizz follows.
The person then says: “This is the best shit we have ever done!!” These words are superimposed on the video.
He then assists another person to drink from a can. More footage is shown of people partying, dancing and drinking Hard Fizz.
Images via ABAC.
The complaint submitted to The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) Scheme said:
This ad "Does not adhere to responsible advertising guidelines and Hard Fizz regularly seems to market irresponsibly."
In response, the company blamed the ambassador and said:
"The content in question was not produced by our internal videographer and editing team rather was a production from the team of one of our ambassadors Paul Fisher.
"The copy at the commencement of the video was not put through our usual internal procedures which saw it missed before launched as a collaborative post on Instagram.
"In this video, the depiction was of a product launch event which adhered to all responsible service of alcohol on a licenced vessel and was undertaken in a controlled and safe environment, so we refute the suggestion that it showed footage of people that were appearing intoxicated."
However, the company also admitted:
"Due to the copy at beginning of the video we have made the decision to remove the post from our channel."
As a result of the company not contesting the complaint's concern about the opening words, the ad breached the ABAC codes and the complaint was upheld.
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