Russia: Russian beer ad breaks the law

Many of the beer advertisements that flow freely on late-night television in Russia target men, promoting pursuits such as fishing, grilling or just hanging out with the guys, Brisbanetimes published June 5. Now state regulators say one of them went too far.

By seeming to celebrate male messiness and manners -- or the lack thereof -- an ad for a brand owned by Dutch giant Heineken broke the law and threatened family values, the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service said today.

The ad for PIT aped an opinion poll, saying "89 per cent of men believe they are not guilty of anything", and showed images including dirty footprints on a carpet, a nearly empty refrigerator and a flower bed ruined by an errant soccer ball, the government agency said.

The spot, which ran in September and October, violated legislation barring the use in advertising of "obscene or insulting images, comparisons or expressions, including in relation to gender, race, ethnicity, professions or social status", it said.

The reference to gender in the legislation may have been meant largely to protect against offensive depictions of women. But in this case, the letter of the law was apparently used in a bid to discourage what officials saw as an attack on family values.

The ad "promotes and strengthens a model of male behaviour that proposes open disdain for family responsibilities", the statement said. It "uses an image of conduct that is offensive to the family as a whole and also to the family values that are protected in society".

The statement comes amid calls by officials including President Vladimir Putin, as well as the dominant Russian Orthodox church, for Russians to adhere to what they depict as traditional values.

The federal agency said it had ordered the advertiser, OOO Heineken Commercial Service, to stop the violations, but at the same time suggested the ad is no longer running.

Heineken acquired Russian brewer PIT in 2005.

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