🚨 Au Vodka Ads Halted on TikTok & Facebook! 🚨
Popular Welsh vodka brand, Au Vodka, faced a social media backlash. Their ads have been pulled down from TikTok and Facebook after being flagged by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Why, you ask? Well, it turns out these ads might have been just a bit too appealing to those under 18!
In one ad, influencer Lucinda Strafford, known from Love Island, was spotted loading up a flashy gold vending machine with Au Vodka’s Juicy Peach cans. Her glowing review—”That is so good!”—was shared with her massive TikTok audience. Sounds dreamy, right? Maybe a little *too* dreamy for the younger crowd.
Another ad saw influencer Kai Cenat unwrapping a bottle of Au Vodka amidst promises of “Essences of summer in every sip.” Tempting? Definitely. But neither Kai, at 23, nor the woman in the third ad, at 24, met the age requirements for such promotions under UK guidelines, which state you must be at least 25. Oops!
Au Vodka claims the ads were aimed at adults, using age targeting strategies like location-based delivery towards US audiences. They even provided evidence showing Strafford’s online followers were mostly over 18. But the ASA didn’t find the data convincing enough.
Basically, if an ad involves alcohol, the rules are strict: none of it should reach anyone under 18, and featuring people below 25 is a no-go. The ASA concluded that these ads weren’t careful enough with their targeting, thus breaching the code.
The result? These ads must stay off the platforms until Au Vodka can ensure they’re not reaching the wrong audiences. The ASA is watching closely, and Au Vodka is now vowed to tighten their advertising ship.
Lesson of the day: When it comes to promoting alcohol, it’s all about keeping it age-appropriate and in line with the rules. Let’s see how Au Vodka revamps its strategies! 🥂 Stay tuned!