AD STANDARDS GROUP REBUKES DINGLE BAR

DINGLE bar and nightclub An Droichead Beag has had a complaint against it upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland.

Details of the complaint – which centred on a poster advertisement for Loft Nightclub – were published in the ASAI’s latest list of rulings.

According to the ASAI, the complainant considered the poster to be misleading as it stated that there was ‘free entry’ to the nightclub.

When she went along to the venue, however, there was an entry fee charged at the door.

The ASAI report states that the poster for “Loft Nightclub @ An Droichead Beag” billed the venue as “Dingle’s Only Free Nightclub. Open Every Sat from 11pm”.

In its report the advertising oversight body noted that the “advertisers failed to provide a response to the complaint” an issue the ASAI Complaints Committee were critical of in their published ruling on the matter.

“The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint. They expressed their concern at the advertisers’ failure to respond to the complaint and reminded them that there is an onus on advertisers to ensure that their advertising is in conformity with the Code,” said the ASAI in its ruling.

“The committee considered that promoting the nightclub as free whilst imposing an entry fee was likely to mislead consumers. In the absence of a response from the advertisers, the committee concluded that the advertising was in breach of Sections 3.10, 4.1, 4.4 and 5.22 of the Code,” said the ASAI.

The ASAI have ruled that “the advertisement should not reappear in its current form”.

When contacted by The Kerryman, management at the venue stated that there was a change in management at the time in question and the matter had been a mere oversight.