A recent survey done by Aware.org showed that “49% of high-school students consumed alcohol at some stage in their high school tenure”. This is a concern for parents as well as the alcohol industry since high school students are underaged.

Diageo SA is one of the country’s biggest premium spirits companies, with brands like Johnnie Walks, Tanqueray and Smirnoff 1818 as part of its portfolio. However, despite the fact that Diageo is one of the major retailers of alcohol in South Africa, the brand also promotes responsible drinking.

In this Q&A, Mngadi chats about the effect that these new restrictions will have on the alcohol industry, and how it will hopefully change the way teenagers are exposed to alcohol consumption.

The alcohol industry in South Africa has implemented restrictions on advertising times on TV and radio. They have also said that billboards are not allowed within 500m of a school. Why have these restrictions been implemented?

This is a self-regulation mechanism initiated by the industry leaders to limit exposure to alcohol marketing content for people below the legal drinking age of 18 years. The general principle is that we would not place adverts on broadcast programmes where there is information confirming that more than 30% of the audience is below the legal drinking age.

To enable ease of implementation, specific times were agreed on in terms of when broadcast adverts would be allowed. [These times] are 7pm to 6am weekdays and 12pm to 6am Saturday and Sundays. For billboards, reducing proximity to centres that are expected to have a high concentration of children was the approach, hence the 500m limit.

On digital and social media, brands are expected to have age verification mechanism as an additional means to limit exposure for under 18s.

What effect do you think limiting advertisements will have on the alcohol industry?

The intention of advertising is to communicate intricacies or benefits of a particular brand for a consumer to consider its [product or service] as opposed to another brand’s [product or service]. The current limitation allows alcohol brands to do this without the unnecessary exposure for unintended audiences — in this case, underaged people.

The Aware.org marketing codes will ensure that the alcohol industry markets responsibly and facilitates a culture of responsible consumption in South Africa, which will subsequently have a positive impact on the industry.

Why do you think is it so important for the alcohol industry to focus on responsible advertising?

Besides limiting exposure, the industry’s Responsible Marketing Codes also controls the content of advertising. We want to make sure that the content of the ads themselves do not create false aspirations for consumers.

For instance, the advertisement can’t give the impression that consumption of that brand can lead to economic or social success, sex appeal, etc. Overall, we want consumers to enjoy our products in a responsible manner and it is our responsibility to ensure that marketing doesn’t result in the harmful use of alcohol.

Brands are actually starting to take care of their audiences. How do you think brands will start marketing their products more responsibly?

Yes, brands are starting to put the consumers’ wellbeing at the heart of their advertising campaigns.

The big thing that has also been introduced by the codes is compulsory messages for responsible drinking, which should [consist of] about 15% of the visuals, [and should be] consistently there during the TV advert or as a voice-over in a radio ad.

There are also responsible drinking symbols in the content shared on social media now, which display the ‘not for under 18’ and ‘not for pregnant women signage’.

How do you think the advertising model will start changing as restrictions are being added and implemented?

Marketing should be about communicating the unique qualities and value proposition of the brand to the consumer. So a whisky brand from Scotland can highlight its ingredients, production process or the region it comes from [and can then highlight the fact] that [it is] better than, say, a whisky from a different region or country.

What advice can you give to brands who are being affected by these restrictions?

The responsible marketing codes for alcohol were widely consulted with all the players in the industry. We also went as far as engaging with the government on many of the provisions in the code. Where brands are not clear on what to do, I would suggest they consult the industry association Aware to get clarity on what is expected of them.

There is also a complaint mechanism available from the Advertising Regulatory Board in cases when any party (consumer, competitor, etc) feels that a particular advert is not in line with the promise or intentions of the code.

It is the responsibility of the industry to ensure that alcohol advertising and promotion don’t lead to harmful use of alcoholic beverages. Responsible drinking culture is important for the sustainability of the industry and the wellbeing of consumers.

Do you think that these implemented alcohol regulations will help people consume alcohol in a responsible manner, or should the alcohol industry do more? Let us know in the comments section below.

U lava mahungu aku hisa? Tsalela hina …

Now that you understand the restrictions that are implemented within the alcohol industry be sure to read The best marketing strategy? Show your consumers that you care to keep your consumers happy.