HARD LIQUOR OK ON TV ADS
By Adnews Staff
A federal court has ruled that spirits manufacturers can advertise their wares on TV because the regulations preventing them from doing so are discriminatory and in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Distillers will now be allowed to advertise in a market, that for countless yEars, had been the exclusive domain of beer and wine makers. However, the Ottawa based Association of Canadian Distillers isn't expecting its members to begin flooding the airwaves with glitzy product ads. "It isn't our intention to do that immediately," ACD Director of Public Affairs, Francoise Parent told Adnews yesterday. "It's expensive and the industry doesn't have that kind of money right now. Also, we've traditionally spent a lot of money on print advertising and you don't change your strategy overnight." It is expected that distillers will concentrate their efforts on public service announcements urging consumers to use alcohol responsibly. In fact, the court challenge was launched in 1990, after the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission rejected a 1987 anti-drinking and driving spot. The ACD hopes that the ruling will set a precedent for equal treatment of alcohol producers in all areas of government regulation. Distillers currently pay proportionately higher taxes than beer and wine producers, and are lobbying to have the playing field levelled.