'Not Beersies' TV advert fools viewer

The 'Not Beersies' TV advert which promotes drinking water instead of alcohol fooled one viewer who complained that it was being shown too early.

The Advertising Standards Authority, which found there were no grounds to proceed, stated that the complainant questioned the timing of the parody ad's broadcast due to a mistaken belief that it was promoting beer.

The Health Promotion Agency ad, which is made to look like a beer advert, includes the lines "Since when did beer have to toe the line, play the game, work for the man. Since when did beer have to taste like beer, or for that matter, have beer in it? Since 1990 never, that's when. Not beersies, the beer that doesn't have beer in it."

Authority chairwoman Jenny Robson noted the advertisement was about drinking water and was in the category of advocacy advertising.

It was clearly intended to raise awareness about drinking water instead of beer and was not an advertisement for beer, she said.

The advertiser was also clearly identified by the logos at the end of the advertisement, Ms Robson said.

While Ms Robson acknowledged the complainant's concerns about the timing of the advertisement, she said it promoted an important public health message and in light of prevailing community standards, ruled it did not breach the authority's code of ethics.

She ruled there were no grounds for the complaint to proceed.