Portman hits back at ad attack
The Portman Group has defended self-regulation of drinks advertising by the industry after a report in the British Medical Journal said that regulations on the advertising and marketing of alcoholic drinks are failing.
The Portman Group has defended self-regulation of drinks ads by the industry after a report in the British Medical Journal said that regulations on the advertising and marketing were failing.
The claim was made by Professor Gerard Hastings, director of the Institute of Social Marketing at the University of Stirling, after studying documents made available by four drinks producers to the House of Commons Health Committee.
Hastings claims that marker research data on 15 and 16-year-olds was used to guide campaign development and frequent references were made to the need to recruit younger drinkers.
He also claimed the documents suggesting that increasing overall consumption was an aim for brands and that they can promote aspects such as social success, femininity or masculinity that are banned under advertising regulations for alcohol.
David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group which regulates packaging and marketing by the industry, accused Hastings of using "slurs and innuendos" in his study.
"He failed to find any evidence of actual malpractice," said Poley.
"We wish he would publish his criticisms in an advertisement. The ASA could the rightly ban it for being misleading.
"We are proud of the regulatory system for alcohol in the UK which is admired around the world."
The Commons Health Committee recently recommended minimum pricing and a ban on TV ads for drink before the watershed.
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