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British Medical Association Calls for Alcohol Advertising Ban
The British Medical Association (BMA) is campaigning to have all alcohol advertising banned from television, radio and online advertising.
The proposed blanket ban on alcohol promotion would follow a similar line to the regulations which halted smoking advertisements, after cigarettes were proven to be a serious health risk and cause of cancer.
The BMA said that the damaging effect of alcohol, including: binge drinking, anti-social behaviour, violence and drink-related health problems, should not be glorified through media advertising of alcohol. The BMA claimed some £800 million was spent annually on advertising alcohol through print, TV and digital media.
In its Under the Influence report published today, the BMA said: “The alcohol industry uses its prodigious marketing skills and massive budgets to promote positive images about alcohol, and back these up with incentives, branding, enticing new products and sophisticated public relations”. If the ban goes ahead, then all promotions, including lucrative sports promotions would all be prohibited.
The enduring 17-year sponsorship of Liverpool FC with Danish brewers Carlsberg would be put to an end if the BMA gets approval from the government, for example, and the Carling Cup would be forced to find alternative sponsors.
The BMA report prompted strong reactions from advertising officials who warned such actions would cripple the industry. Nielsen estimated that the UK media industry would lose £180 million a year if the ban was upheld.
Chairman of the Media Futures Group, Jim Marshall told The Guardian that there was no clear evidence that alcohol advertising caused binge-drinking culture: “All the research as I understand it shows that advertising does not have the major impact that would warrant an ad ban”.
Online Advertising news posted by Frank Hudson on 08 September 2009
