by the Advertising Association

About the author: The Advertising Association is a trade organization in the United Kingdom that represents advertising agencies and related media services.

In spite of the proven success of advertising regulation and the responsible attitude of the advertising industry, there is criticism about alcohol advertising, especially in relation to its presumed impact on consumption and abusive consumption. Such criticism is, more often than not, based on a lack of understanding about the role of advertising and confusion between “brand advertising” and “generic advertising”.

In general, companies advertise their own brands in order to increase the overall market share of their brands alone and to protect that market share against brand switching by consumers. Brand advertising, of the type seen in the alcoholic drinks market sector, is a...