The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Whisky advert banned after one complaint
Adverts for a Fife company’s drinks brand which suggested having a whisky tasting at the top of a mountain have been banned after watchdogs branded them “irresponsible”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ads for single malt River Rock linked alcohol with unsafe locations.
They showed a group of climbers ascending the Stob Ghabhar mountain in the Highlands and featured the tagline: “What better way to mark the launch of River Rock batch 232 than by summiting 3500ft for a wild whisky tasting with good friends?”
The final paragraph of the ad stated: “The evening culminated in a welcome dram around the fire and a toast to good friends”, alongside the group standing around a fire with mugs in their hands and one person pouring whisky.
One person complained to the advertising watchdog after seeing the adverts in January and challenged whether they were irresponsible because they linked alcohol with an activity or location in which drinking would be unsafe.
The ASA has now banned the Cupar-based firm’s online adverts and said they breached rules on alcohol promotion.
RR Whisky, which owns the River Rock brand, told the ASA that although the ads featured images of mountains, and people walking, they did not believe they implied or stated that the people featured had consumed whisky.
A spokeswoman for RR Whisky said: “The ASA report relates to one complaint made in relation to a social post.
“The ASA liaised with the founders of River Rock and the content was updated to ensure it was clear to the reader that the whisky was consumed at the end of the day the images were taken.
“The mountaineering images are still allowed to be used to promote River Rock as long as the wording is always clear that no alcohol was consumed before or during outdoor activities.”
In a written ruling, the ASA said: “While we acknowledged the final paragraph referred to a ‘welcome dram’ and ‘toast’ around the fire in the evening and an image showing the mountaineers in the car park after they had descended the mountain, that did not negate the strong impression that whisky had been consumed on the mountain, after which the participants would need to descend during treacherous weather conditions and on difficult terrain.”