The advert for La Vieille Ferme wine cannot be shown again in its current form, the ASA watchdog said, after it appeared to suggest the drink could have ‘therapeutic qualities’
An advert for red wine has been banned after it claimed the beverage could offer ’emotional support’.
The paid-for TikTok video promoting La Vieille Ferme wine – known for its chicken label – showed three boxed cartons, with text reading: “One to resurrect my soul”, “One for emotional support” and “One to erase today”.
It went on to say that “maintaining good health often hinges on a variety of factors” including “emotional support, personal rejuvenation, and self-care practices”.
But the Advertising Standards Authority has now ruled that the advert must not appear again in its current form, as it appeared to suggest alcohol had “therapeutic qualities” or could be a “source of nourishment”.
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Two people had complained to the ASA about the advert after it appeared on the social media platform in early March. One said the advert portrayed the drink “as capable of changing mood”, while the other told the watchdog they believed the reference to “erase today” encouraged excessive drinking.
According to the CAP Code, which sets the rules for non-television advertisements, companies must not make any claims that suggest consuming alcohol is good for your health.
Upholding the complaints about the La Vieille Ferme ad, the ruling said: “The ASA considered that the references on the wine cartons shown in the ad ‘One to resurrect my soul’ and ‘One for emotional support’ implied the wine could provide emotional benefit or support and improve or lift someone’s mood.
“We considered that ‘One to erase today’, in the context of those claims, positioned alcohol as a way to cope with or distract from difficult times and to help deal with the stress of a hard day.
“We considered that those three references implied that alcohol had therapeutic qualities and portrayed alcohol as being able to change mood.”
“We also considered that the text in the post which stated ‘My health? Depends on all three [melting face emoji] #chickenwine #lavieilleferme’ as well as the references to mental health further implied that drinking alcohol, and in particular the featured wine, had a positive impact on health and well-being and were health claims that were not permitted under the Code.”
La Vieille Ferme said they “recognised the concerns raised” and “had made internal improvements” to prevent any further breaches. TikTok said they had removed the video from their platform for violating their advertising policies.
