Advertisment
The Paragon Bar and Nightclub referred to the following on their Facebook page:
“Friday night folks it’s Club Retro. Doors 11pm. Usual drink promos.
A wee night out before school starts again baaaaaai”
Complaint
The complainants, Alcohol Action Ireland, said that they considered that the post on the Facebook page was aimed at school children as it appeared in mid-February when the schools were closed for mid-term break. They considered that the advertisers were being socially irresponsible in their targeting of young people and encouraging them to drink to excess.
Response
The advertisers failed to respond in the matter.
Conclusion
Complaint Upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint and expressed their concerns at the advertisers’ failure to respond in the matter. They reminded them that there was an onus on all advertisers to demonstrate that their advertising was in conformity with the Code. In the absence of the advertisers’ response the Committee upheld the complaint Sections 2.7, 7.1, 7.6(a)-(d) and 7.7(a).
Action Required:
The advertisement must not run in its current form again.