Stella Artois reassuringly misleading says watchdog

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 19-Sep-07, 08:30

LONDON - Stella Artois's claim of being 'a family dedicated to brewing for six centuries' has been banned by the ad watchdog for misleading consumers.

The claim, which was used on a national press wraparound in The Times newspaper, was introduced this year by Stella's advertising agency Lowe Worldwide, as it placed less emphasis on the iconic "Reassuringly expensive" tagline.

The claim, which is part of a wider campaign called "Pass on something good", was intended to emphasise the continuity of tradition and care found in the Artois family of beers.

In a marked change of direction, Stella's parent company Inbev has been promoting Stella as one of three premium lager brands in the Artois family of beers.

The other brands in the Artois family include the 6.2% amber beer Artois Bock, and Peeterman Artois, a 4% lager launched at the end of 2006.

Inbev said the claim in the national press ad referred to the origins of the Artois family of beers, which have been in existence for six centuries, and was not meant to suggest that one family of common ancestry had solely brewed the Artois beers for all that time.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority said that the claim in the ad was untrue. Inbev informed the ASA it intended to use "One family. Three beers. Six centuries" in future ads for the Artois family of beers instead of the previous claim.

But the ASA said the new wording Inbev intended to use was "still problematic" and told the company to avoid implying in future ads that one family of common ancestry had been involved in the brewing on Artois beers for six centuries.

The ruling comes on the same day Stella relaunches its website, which contains information on the brand's history and heritage.

The website features a short film called 'La Bouteille' that was created specifically for the site and will not be seen in traditional advertising slots.

In a separate adjudication, a racy TV spot for fashion designer Dolce and Gabbana, backing its new Light Blue aftershave, has escaped censorship despite complaints.

The ad showed a man wearing swimming trunks kissing and embracing a woman wearing a see-through blouse in a boat on the sea.

Two viewers said the ad was sexually suggestive and scheduled during a children's film called 'The Island at Top of the World'.

The ASA said the film, shown on Five, was not made for children and the ad itself was not graphic, and instead showed an "active and physical involvement".