What is the big deal about putting ads for distilled liquor back on U.S. television? Wine and beer ads have always been allowed. The alcohol in beer and wine is chemically the same alcohol in whiskey, gin, or vodka. One 12-oz. serving of beer, one 6-oz. serving of wine, or one shot of most distilled liquor has roughly the same amount of alcohol. You can drink a lot of beer, you can drink a lot of wine, you can drink a lot of liquor.
So why is liquor thought of being somehow worse than beer or wine? Is this a case of reputation trumping facts?
Is this a case of reputation trumping facts?
–It’s a case of standards set by the NAB (the National Association of Broadcasters).
Well, your figures show what the fuss has always been about: liquor is more potent, and thus more dangerous. It is downright difficult to die of alcohol poisoning from drinking only beer, yet relatively easy when doing shots. And most people with an alcohol addiction drink liquor rather than beer or wine, suggesting that liquor is more easily abused. So the facts, you might say, support the reputation.
Actually, it was the alcohol producers that tacitly agreed not to advertise on television until recently. And while broadcasters have the right to reject any advertising, but I don’t think there was any written regulation against it that’s suddenly been repealed.
There’s no law against it–yet. Late last year, NBC agreed to air liquor advertisements for Diageo (maker of Johnnie Walker and many other brands of hard liquor). Early this year, NBC reversed itself, fearing a public backlash and/or legislation prohibiting such advertising.