Banning Liquor Surrogate Advertising
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ABOUT SURROGATE BRANDS Contd..The number and
range of surrogate advertisements increased as liquor producers started
sponsoring movies, music shows, and other programs attracting youth. For
instance, Seagram's Royal Stag was promoted by sponsoring movie-related
activities and Indian pop music under the banners Royal Stag Mega Movies and
Royal Stag Mega Music. It promoted its 100 Pipers brand by sponsoring a
series of performances by fusion music artists under the name 100 Pipers
Pure Music. Blenders'Pride sponsored a series of performances by troop
dancers and artists under the banner of Blenders'Pride Magical Nites.
Seagram also sponsored events such as the Chivas Regal Polo Championships
and the Chivas Regal Invitational Golf Challenge for corporates.
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In late 2001, television broadcasters began airing
socially responsible advertisements sponsored by liquor companies, even
though the government had not issued any notification permitting the
airing of socially responsible ads on TV. Star TV and Sony were among
the leading broadcasters telecasting such advertisements included STAR
TV and Sony. The advertisements were telecast during Christmas and New
Year's Eve. One of these ads by Seagram wished the viewers with
‘Season's Greetings.'
Another advertisement of Seagram read, “Tonight, when it's one for the
road, it's got to be coffee.” L.S.Nayak, Vice President (Sales and
Marketing), STAR TV said, “It's not a liquor advertisement at all. It's
just another corporate advertisement through a social message. It cannot
be classified as a liquor advertisement because Seagram is not a liquor
brand. One must see the spirit behind an advertisement to find out
whether it's promoting liquor or not.” |
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Some of the broadcasters said that because the I&B Ministry
was taking a long time deciding about the use of socially responsible
advertisements by liquor companies, they had started using them without the
Ministry's consent. IBF's Executive Director, Bhuvan Lal, reportedly argued that
there was nothing wrong with airing such advertisements because they did not
violate the government's guidelines restricting the telecast of direct/indirect
liquor ads. The government's guidelines stated that ‘advertisements which lead
to sale, consumption and promotion of liquor should not be allowed.'According
to Bhuvan Lal, these advertisements were perfectly legal as they did not lead to
sale, consumption and promotion of liquor.
Soon, liquor companies that had not entered into any agreements with satellite
channels for airing socially responsible and for surrogate advertisements
started processing such agreements. For instance, Whyte & Mackay began
negotiating agreements with various TV channels, including Star TV. Amar Sinha,
CEO, Whyte & Mackay, said, “As long as there was no ban, companies were not
interested in showing liquor advertisements in the garb of social messages. But
with the government imposing restrictions, social messages are a route to liquor
advertising for many.”
By early 2002, there were many surrogate advertisements of liquor brands on
satellite TV channels. These advertisements attracted a lot of criticism.
According to an analyst[7], “We see a brown liquid poured into a glass under a
well-known brand name, and we are told the man is drinking apple juice! The girl
who is avidly watching him immediately rewards him with a kiss. In the same sort
of way, water, soda and other harmless liquors stand in for hard liquor and beat
the ban.” (Refer Exhibit IV and V for sample surrogate advertisements). There
were numerous other advertisements selling music cassettes, CDs, water,
clothing, fashion accessories and sports goods – many of them accused of being
sexually provocative and offensive.
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THE DEBATE
TABLE II AD SPENDS OF LEADING INDIAN LIQUOR COMPANIES
WHAT LIES AHEAD?
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
EXHIBIT I SALES OF WINES, SPIRITS & LIQUOR COMPANIES
EXHIBIT II SALES OF BEER COMPANIES
EXHIBIT III CABLE TV ACT 1995: 2000 AMENDMENTS RELATED TO LIQUOR ADS
ADDITIONAL READINGS & REFERENCES:
[7] Amita Mallik, www.tribuneindia.com
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