NBC to begin broadcasting hard liquor ads

December 14, 2001 10:51 AM

NBC to begin broadcasting hard liquor ads - so it seems that in a depressed advertising environment, priorities begin to shift. Smirnoff vodka is set to go first. The rules: Ads are to be broadcast only after 9 pm, only after the advertiser spends four months broadcasting a "responsible drinking" campaign, and "no consumption of alcohol can be depicted in the ads and that no active professional athletes may used in the ads either". Also "85% of the audience for any show must be at least 21-years old and the actors in the ads must be at least 30 years old."
posted by kokogiak (15 comments total)

"Drink responsibly... and do it often."
posted by Dirjy at 10:54 AM on December 14, 2001

Whoops - I guess the 4 months of social responsibility clause does not have to come first, just as part of the whole package. More rules and reactions found here.
posted by kokogiak at 10:57 AM on December 14, 2001

Great, all it takes is 1 or 2 Vodka ads and I am going to be craving cigarette commercials.
posted by remlapm at 10:59 AM on December 14, 2001

I think the best commercial is for Smirnoff ICE where the message seems to be "our product lets you hijack a subway car and turn it into a dance club, thereby guaranteeing lots of tongue smooching."

Where 's Aum with their Sarin gas when you need them???
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:00 AM on December 14, 2001

It's a legal product. More power to them.

For that matter, cigarettes are, too. Beer and wine get advertised all the time, and we can all cite the meme (1 mixed drink = 1 beer = 1 glass of wine) as far as blood alcohol levels go.

I remember the Dilbert cartoon with Dogbert saying something along the likes of "My dream is to operate a store where you can buy alcohol, firearms and drugs and have the chance to use them all before you get home" or words to that effect.

Disclaimers: I do not and have never smoked. I watched my father die of lung cancer. I do not dispute the statistics (or the common sense) that say misuse of alcohol and tobacco use are deadly. I might have one glass a wine a week, and have never driven under the influence. Never indulged in recreational drugs, but more power to anyone who wants to. Tax, tag and title not included. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
posted by ebarker at 11:08 AM on December 14, 2001

Does anyone else find the "no pro-athletes" restriction odd? Or alarming? Are pro athletes soooo persuasive it'd be too dangerous for them to endorse hard liquor, but not as dangerous for other celebrities, like famous actors?
posted by plaino at 11:27 AM on December 14, 2001

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

What's that from? It rings a faint bell.
posted by msacheson at 11:29 AM on December 14, 2001

What's that from? It rings a faint bell.

Saturday Night Live.
posted by Dirjy at 11:44 AM on December 14, 2001

Well, if it's gotta happen(and I agree with Ebarker), let's just hope that decent liquors decide to advertise, so the corrupted youth at least have some taste.
Frankly, I'd rather my kid drank cognac than Bud Lite.
posted by Su at 11:50 AM on December 14, 2001

The full Happy Fun Ball warning can be found here

Now back to your regular insightful and on-topic discussion, already in progress.
posted by thewittyname at 12:13 PM on December 14, 2001

I agree. More power to them. It's a legal product, and they're handling its advertising responsibly it seems. If I watched much TV, I'd make a point to watch more NBC.
posted by jammer at 1:25 PM on December 14, 2001

Bring on the Jagermeister ads!
posted by whuppy at 1:25 PM on December 14, 2001

why are the ads only broadcast after 9? that is when all the kids are online. They should broadcast during the day when all of us old types are at work with a web browser open.
posted by th3ph17 at 2:30 PM on December 14, 2001

ok. i'm drinking/smoking smirnoff ice at work. i thought this was about msnbc online. my bad. fridays you know....
posted by th3ph17 at 2:37 PM on December 14, 2001

Yes, th3ph17 - you definitely need more to drink. The harder the better.
posted by kokogiak at 2:55 PM on December 14, 2001