The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against Conor McGregor's Forged Irish Stout for a 'sexualised' Instagram advert.
The company posted an Instagram Reel depicting a group of female models wearing crop tops and hotpants while drinking Forged Irish Stout.
The advert also featured a person dressed as a life-sized can of Forged Irish Stout.
The complainant said the advertisement contained sexualised content which made a link between alcohol and sexual relations/performance. In response, the company removed the advert from its Instagram.
The ASA's complaints committee noted the withdrawal but reiterated that marketing communications should not state, depict, or imply that consuming alcohol can improve physical performance and that advertisers should consider public sensitivities regarding sexual innuendo in alcohol ads.
The committee also highlighted that the advert emphasised the female models' cleavages and bottoms through use of camera angles and close ups.
"The committee did not consider that there was any creative reason for this other than to objectify the female models," the ASA wrote in its ruling.
"The committee also noted that in other parts of the advertisement, the manner in which the female models were posed or shown interacting with the person dressed as the life-sized version of the product was sexually suggestive.
"While they did not consider that the advertisement implied consumption of the product would make the drinker more attractive, they did consider that it was an irresponsible manner in which to depict women."
The ASA found the advert to be in breach of its code and ruled that it should not reappear in its current form.
A total of 17 out of 21 complaints in the latest ASA bulletin were upheld in full and another complaint was upheld in part.
"Our goal is to ensure advertisements are legal, decent, honest and truthful– fostering trust in advertising for all," said Orla Twomey, CEO of the ASA.
"The industry’s commitment to maintaining high standards and responsible advertising is demonstrated by the high compliance rate with the Advertising Standards Authority’s decisions and requests for ad amendments where appropriate."
*This article was originally published on BusinessPlus.ie.
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