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Beckham’s Haig Club ad cleared of complaints
Diageo’s first TV advert for Haig Club Scotch whisky starring David Beckham has been cleared of breaching advertising laws after complaints by Alcohol Concern were not upheld.
Complaints against David Beckham’s Haig Club advertisement have not been upheld
Diageo, which teamed up with football superstar Beckham to launch single grain Scotch whisky brand Haig Club last year, revealed the brand’s first TV advertisement directed by Guy Ritchie in October.
It depicts the story of a group of friends travelling through the Highlands to share a weekend in Glen Affric near Inverness, Scotland.
Beckham then leads a celebratory toast with the group of friends as they raise a glass of Haig Club, before the shots move to another moment where the same group of friends are toasting Haig Club in different parts of the world.
Alcohol awareness charity Alcohol Concern submitted a complaint to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), claiming the ad was “irresponsible” since David Beckham appeals to consumers under 18 years of age.
When Beckham’s involvement with the brand was first revealed last April, Alcohol Concern said the partnership was “incredibly disappointing” since the sports star promotes healthy lifestyles to children.
Alcohol Concern, and one other complainant, also said the new advertisement “implied drinking was a key component to social success”.
Diageo defended the advertisement by claiming that Beckham had a “fundamental role” in developing the brand and so his presence in video “reflected” the partnership. The group added that Beckham “had strong appeal” for Haig Club’s target audience of men between the age of 25 and 40.
Diageo also noted that, since his retirement as a footballer in 2013, Beckham’s profile had been driven by global business interests, media presence and charity work, all of which were adult focused.
Broadcasting watchdog Clearcast stated its belief that Beckham had a primarily adult appeal, and that his previous campaigns did not strongly appeal to children.
The ASA therefore ruled that while Beckham may have strongly appealed to children at the height of his professional football career, this is no longer the case.
Regulators also concluded that the ad did not imply drinking was a key to social success since it “demonstrated a well-established” friendship between the actors.
Click on the link below to view the advert in full