Vodka firm's ads banned for targeting under-age teenagers

TIKTOK and Facebook posts for a Swansea-based brand of vodka have been banned for targeting underage teenagers, the regulator has said.

- JOSIE CLARKE Press Association Reporter

A TikTok post by social media influencer Lucinda Strafford in June showed her filling a large gold-coloured vending machine which featured the Au Vodka logo with cans of Au Vodka Juicy Peach, before she took a sip from one of the cans and said: “That is so good.”

Accompanying text read “an actual DREAM OMG [hearts emoji] [peach emoji] unlimited Juicy Peach cans [smiling face with tears emoji] & I can keep it?! @Au Vodka ad”.

A paid-for Facebook post in June showed a video of influencer Kai Cenat opening a box containing a bottle of Au Vodka and drinking, before accompanying text read: “Haven't Tried Au Vodka Yet? Secure The Taste Of The Summer, Au Vodka Juicy Peach [peach emoji] Essences of summer in every sip. [palm tree emoji] Shop Now Pay Later Available [credit card emoji].”

Another Facebook post in April showed a woman saying “you need to try this” before she held a bottle of Au Vodka Juicy Peach to the camera.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received one complaint that the first ad was inappropriately targeted at people under 18 years of age and the second and third ads featured someone who was, or seemed to be, under 25 years of age.

Au Vodka, the brainchild of friends Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn, told the ASA that Strafford was a well-known reality personality from the TV series Love Island and over the age of 25.