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IARD and social media sites raise marketing standards

The CEOs of 11 leading alcohol companies, including Diageo and Pernod Ricard, have partnered with four social media platforms to deliver better safeguarding measures for online alcohol advertising.

Eleven CEOs from the world’s leading drinks firms, including Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes (centre), have pledged to deliver new standards of responsible advertising

The beer, wine and spirits companies form the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), and also include spirits makers Bacardi, Beam Suntory and Brown-Forman.

The new partnership with Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube aims to deliver “robust responsible marketing standards” across the social media sites.

Together, the group will aim to ensure the “most-up-to-date safeguards” are used so that marketing communications relating to alcohol are directed to adults who can lawfully purchase these products.

Furthermore, the alliance will work with the social media sites to see what changes can be made to reduce chances of underage consumers viewing the advertising, and also explore ways people can have more control over whether they see alcohol advertising and opt out of seeing these marketing initiatives if they wish.

Ivan Menezes, Diageo CEO and chairman of the IARD, said: “Today’s announcement of a new innovative partnership with leading digital platforms demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the highest standards of responsible marketing.”

UK alcohol watchdog the Portman Group welcomed the collaboration, highlighting its importance particularly for those with troublesome relationships with alcohol.

John Timothy, CEO of the Portman Group, said: “Empowering people to choose what advertising and marketing they can see on social media sites will help those who are alcohol dependent and those who want to moderate their drinking.

“These commitments show that producers take responsible marketing seriously and that partnership working is the best way to bring about change and drive up standards.”

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