The Scottish brewer and pub operator BrewDog has had a notably turbulent year, highlighting how quickly a creative idea can become a PR nightmare.
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Earlier this month, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld two complaints against Tilray Brands UK, trading as BrewDog, over paid-for Facebook posts promoting 90 minutes of “bottomless” beer for £19.95.
One ad showed two men drinking under the caption “When bottomless beers start to hit you”, followed by a rapid sequence of 12 alcoholic drinks. The second showed a woman running towards a pint alongside the words “You” and “Unlimited beers for 90 mins under £20”.
The ASA ruled the first ad breached the CAP Code by portraying alcohol as capable of changing mood, noting the men appeared “noticeably more satisfied and positive” after drinking.
BrewDog was ordered to remove the ads and ensure future advertising did not portray alcohol as capable of changing mood, physical condition or behaviour.
In December last year, the company also withdrew its “Tastes like commercial suicide” campaign for Punk IPA after facing criticism from suicide prevention charities, which argued the slogan trivialised a serious issue.
While intended as a reference to the cost of reformulating its flagship beer, the campaign sparked widespread backlash before the ASA reached a formal ruling.
The ASA also banned an advert for its Wingman beer in 2025 after deciding it implied alcohol could help people deal with boredom, loneliness and frustration, breaching the rules around alcohol advertising.
Widespread attention
Earlier this year, competitive socialising operator Golf Fang also found itself in hot water after distributing promotional leaflets designed to look like parking tickets.
The stunt generated widespread attention, but the ASA ruled recipients were likely to believe they had received a genuine penalty notice before realising it was an advert, making the campaign misleading.
Going back to 2022, Stonegate, the UK’s biggest pubco, was also investigated by the ASA for social media posts that were found to encourage excessive drinking and featured people who appeared under 25 years of age.
At the same time, Edinburgh-based City Clubs venue the Hive Nightclub also came under fire by the ASA for social media posts, as did Montpeliers Nightclub, also in the Scottish capital.
However, it’s not just operators that have faced scrutiny, a number of alcohol producers have also been in the spotlight.
In September last year, Heineken UK’s Strongbow cider had an influencer campaign banned after the ASA ruled it suggested drinking was more appealing than meeting responsibilities.
Jägermeister also faced action over social media content that the regulator found encouraged irresponsible drinking.
Elsewhere, the Portman Group’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) has continued to examine branding and packaging.
Closer attention
Little Mesters Brewery was required to withdraw its Stan IPA in January 2025 after the panel ruled its knife-shaped pump clip and branding could link alcohol with violent behaviour.
Sussex-based Beak Brewery also withdrew one of its beers in 2024 following concerns raised by the ICP about branding that could associate alcohol with violence.
In June this year, complaints against Cactus Jack’s schnapps were also upheld by the Portman Group over packaging that breached its Code of Practice.
This comes as the debate around alcohol marketing continues to gather pace, with a YouGov poll published in July last year finding 65% of Britons supported a ban on alcohol advertising on television before the 9pm watershed.
While there is currently no proposal to introduce such a ban, the findings suggested public attitudes towards alcohol advertising have shifted.
As operators and producers battle tough trading conditions, bold marketing is key to standing out.
But with regulators paying closer attention to everything from social media posts to pump clips and product names, knowing where the line is has never been more important.
