Advertising Association director-general Andrew Brown has warned
that industry bodies will act "quickly and decisively" over French
Connection's entry into the alcoholic drinks sector, should its
marketing threaten to bring advertising's name into disrepute.
Fcuk Spirit, a joint venture between the fashion retailer and Matthew
Clark Brands, launched in the UK last weekend in a range of
flavours.
However, there are fears among industry bodies that the product and the
way it is marketed could encourage underage drinking and promote a
direct link between alcohol and sex.
Brown said interested parties from the advertising industry, including
the AA and ISBA, had held a series of informal meetings about fcuk's
venture.
He added that the fashion retailer had been made "well aware" of their
concerns.
The issue of how the drinks are marketed is particularly sensitive at a
time when the industry is trying to stave off tighter regulation.
"We are not going to take pre-emptive action, but wait and see how fcuk
Spirit is marketed. But the industry is prepared to act quickly and
decisively if there is a risk that this venture could bring it into
disrepute," said Brown.
"If French Connection tries to behave in the same way in the drinks
market as it has in the fashion market in terms of advertising content,
it will discover that we are far less tolerant."
Drinks industry body The Portman Group said it could not comment until
it had received a direct complaint relating to the Code of Practice on
Naming, Packaging and Merchandising of Alcoholic Drinks.
Any complaint would then be judged by the group's Independent Complaints
Panel.
A French Connection spokeswoman said marketing plans for fcuk Spirit had
yet to be decided on.
"It is too early to say what the communications strategy will be," she
said.
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