Sir, – Despite what some of your contributors might believe, expenditure on alcohol advertising accounted for just 3 per cent of the overall advertising spend in the calendar year.
The alcohol market is no different to other markets in industry today in that the brands within the alcohol sector are competing for market share. The norm is that the market in which they are operating is static, and in the case of alcohol in decline, so in order for some of these brands to grow, they need to win new customers at the expense of other brands. So the objective is not to grow the market, rather it is to try to take existing customers from your competitors, thereby increasing overall market share at the expense of your competitors.
Ireland has among the strictest and most comprehensive set of codes governing the content and placement of advertising in the world. CopyClear is a pre-vetting service for advertising copy that adjudicates alcohol advertisements before they are allowed to appear anywhere in Ireland. Media outlets co-operate with this service, which is independently organised and managed by the Association of Advertisers in Ireland and Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland.
CopyClear works; it has been in operation for 13 years with minimal consumer complaints upheld for any alcohol brand by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland.
The Association of Advertisers in Ireland believes that we need policies and codes that strengthen the advertising sector – for brands, for media, for agencies and services. We believe that the freedom to advertise, within a clear and responsible framework, is good for people, good for business and good for the economy.
In its current format, the Public Health Alcohol Bill highlights major concerns and threats to our advertising freedoms. These plans to impose further restrictions, over and above what are already in place, could be counter-productive. We believe that a wide stakeholder response to alcohol misuse in this country is what is required, rather than a random selection of measures.
We support measures that are fairly assessed, can be effectively monitored and will have a positive impact, but not measures for the sake of measures!
We believe that everyone should play their part. The industry must act properly. Governments must legislate fairly. Consumers must behave responsibly. We need legislation that is practical, workable and can play its part is addressing alcohol misuse. – Yours, etc,
BARRY DOOLEY,
Chief Executive,
The Association
of Advertisers in Ireland,
Denshaw House,
Lower Baggot Street,
Dublin 2.