Belvedere vodka ad banned for tying alcohol with party success

The national press ad featured a group of friends at a party posing for a photo with a strapline that read, “There’s a night out. And there’s a night out. Belvedere Vodka. Know the difference.”

While the ad did not show alcohol being consumed, the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that due to the combination of the strapline, an image of a Belvedere vodka bottle and the image of a group of people at a party, it “suggested alcohol was a major element of the apparent success of the party”.

Further, as the product being promoted is vodka, the ASA thought consumers would understand the strapline to be a reference to the enjoyment of a party or a night out with vodka being consumed compared to a night without it.

While the ad was found in breach of social responsibility and alcohol rules, Moet Hennessy UK, the owners of Belvedere, responded that as the ad did not feature alcohol, it did not suggest the characters benefited from drinking Belvedere and gave no suggestion that alcohol was an integral part of the evening.

The company also said that it had taken advice not to feature the text alongside other campaign images from the copy team at the CAP, and therefore thought the ad was not in breach of the code.