Jim Anderton complains over 'misleading' beer ad
Politician Jim Anderton is firing off a few rounds at alcohol company DB Breweries and its agency Colenso BBDO.
The brewery brand made a historical ad last year for DB’s Export Beer, which featured several inaccuracies and a lot of artistic licence. (See the campaign here.)
Mr Anderton has made a formal complaint to advertising body the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), claiming the ad campaign portrays Labour Finance Minister Arnold Nordmeyer as a “tight-fisted bore,” while using misleading footage of the waterfront strike of 1951 to push its wares.
The ASA has responded to the complaint and will be making a judgment on it in an upcoming sitting.
The complaint charges the ad with contravening advertising principles number two and three – firstly, that ads should not impair public confidence in advertising, and secondly that ads shouldn’t be misleading or deceptive.
It also charges the ad with breaking rule two on truthful presentation.
Mr Anderton confirmed the ASA had decided the campaign falls within its jurisdiction.
“This is good news as history is too often misrepresented through the careless use of information or even deliberate misinterpretation,” he said.
“I hope the ASA puts this matter right, as not to do so would be a huge disservice to the lifetime’s work of Nordmeyer and allow our history to be cynically rewritten for the sole purpose of selling beer.”
A member of the public has already unsuccessfully submitted three complaints to the ASA about the ad and its "unduly masculine themes" and implication that beer is "a source of joy" and "conducive to fun".
Hazel Phillips
Mon, 24 Jan 2011
Mon, 24 Jan 2011
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Jim Anderton complains over 'misleading' beer ad
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