# You can show drinking in commercials again? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717 "2007-10-14T21:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/1 "2007-10-14T21:25:51Z")
During the 1st qtr of the NE - Dallas game, there was a Coors Light commercial (one of those “coach’s interview” spots). The little slacker guy is clearly shown drinking from his can of Coors. Almost twice (they panned away just as he was taking his second sip). I was under the impression that actually showing consumption of alcoholic beverages in a commercial was a no no. Has this rule changed? ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/2 "2007-10-14T23:41:48Z")
It probably changed when they started allowing hard liquor commercials again. What’s this world coming to? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/3 "2007-10-15T00:15:54Z")
You mean we aren’t just supposed to buy it, but also supposed to drink it? Crazy, I tell you! ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/4 "2007-10-15T00:20:37Z")
[QUOTE=J Cubed] It probably changed when they started allowing hard liquor commercials again. What’s this world coming to? [/QUOTE] IIRC, hard liquor commercials were never outlawed. The manufactuers just had some sort of gentleman’s agreement not to air liquor ads on television, only in print. At some point this became “only after 10pm” and now I think you can see them quite often in prime and in sporting events and such. I work in advertising, and we handle accounts for a few liquor companies. We do mostly radio spots, but I know that we’re only allowed to air on stations that have a certain percentage of listeners who are 21+. We also only air commercials after 3pm. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/5 "2007-10-15T03:38:01Z")
Does Coors count as drinking? ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/6 "2007-10-15T14:07:58Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Does Coors count as drinking? [/QUOTE] 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/7 "2007-10-15T16:38:17Z")
Really? There are hard liquor commercials on TV now? My personal theory for the existence of those horrid “malt” beverages is it let liquor companies get their names out there, without actually advertising liquor. If that restriction is lifted, I guess it’s goodbye to Smirnoff Ice! ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/8 "2007-10-15T16:45:07Z")
[QUOTE=Greg Charles] Really? There are hard liquor commercials on TV now? My personal theory for the existence of those horrid “malt” beverages is it let liquor companies get their names out there, without actually advertising liquor. If that restriction is lifted, I guess it’s goodbye to Smirnoff Ice! [/QUOTE] Smirnoff advertises their regular vodka all the time. Others I can think of offhand.. Southern Comfort, Disarrona, Bacardi and Tanquray. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/9 "2007-10-15T16:58:42Z")
[QUOTE=Greg Charles] Really? There are hard liquor commercials on TV now? My personal theory for the existence of those horrid “malt” beverages is it let liquor companies get their names out there, without actually advertising liquor. If that restriction is lifted, I guess it’s goodbye to Smirnoff Ice! [/QUOTE] It’s not a restriction. The industry is self-regulated. [Beer Advertising Codes](http://beeresponsible.com/advertising/AdAndMarketingCode.html) [Discus Codes](http://www.discus.org/responsibility/code/read.asp) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/10 "2007-10-15T17:19:45Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] Smirnoff advertises their regular vodka all the time. Others I can think of offhand.. Southern Comfort, Disarrona, Bacardi and Tanquray. [/QUOTE] Grey Goose vodka. There are certain shows that request no hard liquor ads…we honor that. We also have a company policy stating when hard liquor ads can start airing during the day. It is not industrywide…other networks have other policies. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/11 "2007-10-15T17:42:25Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] Smirnoff advertises their regular vodka all the time. Others I can think of offhand.. Southern Comfort, Disarrona, Bacardi and Tanquray. [/QUOTE] And Captain Morgan rum. Recently I’ve been seeing an ad where four guys in a van scout out the costumes being worn by women at a Halloween party, and then put on matching costumes (Adam & Eve, plug and socket, carrot and bunny, and I forget the fourth). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/12 "2007-10-15T17:43:05Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] There are certain shows that request no hard liquor ads…we honor that. [/QUOTE] I’m sorry, but who is ‘we’ in this context? A network or a network affiliate, or local station? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/13 "2007-10-15T17:45:23Z")
I work in broadcasting. That’s all I will share here. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/14 "2007-10-15T18:17:48Z")
[QUOTE=Atomicktom] You mean we aren’t just supposed to buy it, but also supposed to drink it? [/QUOTE] If it’s Coors, you’re supposed to run a battery of tests on it, look sympathetic, and announce, “Your cat has diabetes.” ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-show-drinking-in-commercials-again/422717/15 "2007-10-15T18:27:55Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Does Coors count as drinking? [/QUOTE] Hey! Them’s fightin’ words!