Beer Institute OKs celebrities under 25 in ads; anyone can file advertising complaint
August 21, 2015 |05:12 PM
The Beer Institute had updated its advertising and marketing code to allow member companies to use “generally recognizable athletes, entertainers and other celebrities who are, and appear to be, of legal drinking age” in their ad campaigns, rather than a previous policy of using only those 25 years old or older, the group announced this week.
Other people in promotions — models and actors — will still have to be at least 25 years old and appear to be of legal drinking age, the institute said in a news release.
The Beer Institute also updated the code to “allow any identified individual, company or organization to file a complaint about any brewer’s advertising. The new language also allows for competitor complaints, but continues to bar anonymous complaints.”
The institute said this change was based on a recommendation from the Federal Trade Commission.
In a news release the Beer Institute said that the code was established in 1938 and “has a long history of being amended to meet evolving social, commercial and technological conditions.”
The Beer Institute noted that in 2014, the FTC said it “continues to support self-regulation of alcohol marketing to reduce underage targeting.”
All Beer Institute members agree to follow the code and respect the decisions of an independent review board as a condition of membership.
Other people in promotions — models and actors — will still have to be at least 25 years old and appear to be of legal drinking age, the institute said in a news release.
The Beer Institute also updated the code to “allow any identified individual, company or organization to file a complaint about any brewer’s advertising. The new language also allows for competitor complaints, but continues to bar anonymous complaints.”
The institute said this change was based on a recommendation from the Federal Trade Commission.
In a news release the Beer Institute said that the code was established in 1938 and “has a long history of being amended to meet evolving social, commercial and technological conditions.”
The Beer Institute noted that in 2014, the FTC said it “continues to support self-regulation of alcohol marketing to reduce underage targeting.”
All Beer Institute members agree to follow the code and respect the decisions of an independent review board as a condition of membership.