Alcohol brand to reach millions through soaps
The âHeinekenâ brand will reach 11m people, many children, several times a week thanks to a
deal for its alcohol-free â0.0â spinoff to appear on long-running ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
âItâs âalibiâ marketing: it an be hard to distinguish between the alcohol free and the alcoholic brand,â said Alex Barker, a researcher at Nottingham University. âAlcohol product placement is prohibited.â
âWe have previously
shown that soap operas are widely viewed in the UK, even by children under 16 and this can lead to huge alcohol brand exposure.â
Kenny MacAskill MP asked in
parliament this week about the possibility of a clampdown on the practice, with the government referring him to an advertising industry
consultation ending on May 5th.
Its
proposals allow alcohol alternative marketing when âsoley for the alcohol alternative and not the brand itselfâ. This is likely helpful to rights holders, sponsors and broadcasters of alcohol alternative backed football and F1.
Health advocates, however, typically do not see the promotion of alcohol brands during daytime and during family viewing in such positive light.
