# Booze on the air...again?!?! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797 "2004-03-11T23:31:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/1 "2004-03-11T23:31:49Z")
Was I dreaming, hallucinating or did I actually see two ads for hard liquor or network TV. This past Monday evening, there were 2 different commercials, one for Southern Comfort, shown twice, and the other for Chivas Regal. Wassup? Thought that was a definite no-no. They used to advertise alcohol in the good ol’ days, before we saw the light. How did these two ads slip by everybody they slipped by? Is this a reportable situation? And to whom? I apologize in advance if this is posted in the wrong forum. Mods, do your thing if need be. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/2 "2004-03-12T00:05:19Z")
I think the cigarette ban is a legal issue, but controls on liquor advertising are voluntary. They may be testing the waters. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/3 "2004-03-12T14:46:28Z")
What time Monday _evening_? I see no problem. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/4 "2004-03-12T15:37:46Z")
As was said, the liquor “ban” was a strictly voluntary thing, and I remember a couple years ago it being reported that it was pretty much going to fade into the background. I’ve seen plenty of ads since then, and at first, it was just odd. When you don’t see an ad for Captain Morgan on tv in your lifetime, and suddenly, there is one, it just strikes you funny. But they’ve been around, and they’re not doing anything illegal. Or, IMHO, anything wrong. What’s the difference between advertising beer and rum? The liquor ads are definitely more “grown-up” oriented anyway, and kids who want to drink are much more likely to drop 10 bucks on a case of cheap beer than they are a bottle of rum, if you ask me. At least, that’s the way I was when I was a kid 😉 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/5 "2004-03-12T16:21:00Z")
Yes, the liquor ban is voluntary, but I remember reading that some companies are looking to get back in the game. IIRC the networks came up with a laundry list of criteria before they can air them. Things like only air them at certain times, and they have to do an awareness campaign for 3 months prior to showing commercials. I remember saying to myself that there were quite a number of hoops to jump through to show a stinking commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/6 "2004-03-12T18:01:17Z")
Well, March Madness must be coming up soon because it’s the only time of year that I ever see commercials for hard alcohol, specifically Southern Comfort and Jack Daniels. After never seeing an ad before for them and then seeing around 200 over a 3 week period, it really gets drilled into your head. ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/7 "2004-03-12T18:07:22Z")
I’m pretty sure Conan (O’Brien, that’s right, that’s where I get my news) mentioned that NBC decided to start showing hard liquor ads again. This was like a year ago. If you haven’t noticed Bacardi or Captain Morgan ads you haven’t been paying close attention, but I can’t say that’s a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/8 "2004-03-12T18:32:00Z")
I see ads for Bailey’s Irish Cream fairly regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booze-on-the-air-again/233797/9 "2004-03-12T21:47:23Z")
From [this 1996 article:](http://www.cnn.com/US/9606/12/liquor.ads/) > [@](#): > > Advertising hard liquor has never been against any federal law, but most liquor companies have stuck to a voluntary ban. From a more recent [article:](http://www.ias.org.uk/publications/theglobe/02issue1/globe0201_p16.html) > [@](#): > > Beer and wine advertising has been on television since commercials first appeared. There were no such spots for liquor from 1948, when the distilled spirits industry introduced its voluntary ban, until that ban was lifted in November 1996. When the ban was lifted, there was a move in Congress and within federal agencies to have it reinstated or formalised in a law. These efforts petered out as the end of the ban did not immediately lead to a flood of liquor commercials.