London bar reprimanded by ASA over ‘socially irresponsible’ advert

Savannah Cafe Bar in Haywards Heath has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) following an advert for Offshore Pilsner beer which was considered “socially irresponsible”.

The advert notified customers of a change in alcohol percentage on Offshore Pilsner beer which it said made it “more sessionable”. The ASA said the advert “implied that an alcoholic drink which was not low-alcohol may be preferred because of its alcohol content”.

An assessment found the advert had breached Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) code on two occasions, and the advert “was likely to encourage styles of drinking alcohol that were unwise, including excessive drinking”.

Savannah Cafe Bar has withdrawn the advert from all platforms following an order from the ASA that it “must not appear again in the form complained about”.

In a statement the ASA said: “We told Savannah Cafe Bar that future marketing communications must not suggest products that were not low alcohol drinks may be preferred due to their lower alcoholic strength, and must contain nothing likely to lead people to adopt styles of drinking that were unwise, including encouraging excessive drinking.”

In response the bar said that it had intended its mention of alcohol percentage to be seen as a positive initiative because before the change in percentage the beer had been stronger. It said that customers had complained that the beer was too strong, however it acknowledged that the advert had been “problematic”.