Advertising Association Shares Statement on Alcohol Advertising Consultation in Scotland

Advertising bodies and media organisations have reacted strongly against the Scottish Government’s proposals to ban alcohol advertising and marketing in their responses to the Government’s consultation, which ends today. 

The Advertising Association, ISBA and the IPA, which represent their members in Scotland, have taken the unprecedented step of issuing a joint public statement, alongside the  Marketing Society Scotland, the British Promotional Merchandise Association, the Cinema Advertising Association and the UK Cinema Association, the Scottish Newspaper Society, and Outsmart, saying as follows: 

"We stand together and publicly reject the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce swingeing alcohol advertising and marketing bans. Whilst we understand the Government’s desire to reduce alcohol consumption harms in Scotland, there is no evidence that  advertising bans will achieve that aim. The proposals set out by the Scottish Government will fail to address the problem. Such measures will be harmful to the Scottish economy – including local communities – to Scotland’s advertising and creative industries, and to the Scottish media including publishers, broadcasters and cinemas, as well as the outdoor advertising sector. At the end of the day, we are talking about an impact on Scottish businesses, Scottish jobs and Scottish communities for no discernible benefit. 

We call for a fundamental re-think of the proposals with a focus on targeted and practical policies that will facilitate behaviour change without damaging the Scottish economy and the advertising and creative industries that are important to the entrepreneurial Scotland that the Scottish Government wants to see.”