The ASA has come down hard on Mallusk Carpets in Antrim, Northern Ireland, over the irresponsible nature of its latest radio ad which gives a suggestion of drink driving.
A complaint was made against the ad which challenged whether the suggestion of drinking alcohol and driving was irresponsible.

The radio ad begins with the sound of a can being opened and a male voice saying: "On the coach, drinking beer, watching football, what could be better?"

A female voice replies: "The massive sale at Mallusk Carpets, that's what." The male voice then says: "But what about my football?"

The conversation continues with the woman convincing the man to go to the sale. The male voice finally asks where his car keys are and the ad ends with the sound of car keys being picked up.

Mallusk Carpets said it believed the ad was clear in the fact that the man was looking forward to drinking the beer and had only opened the can.

The retailer added there was no irresponsible behaviour, as the man did not drink any alcohol because his partner had interrupted him and instead they went shopping.

However, the Advertising Standards Agency agreed with the complainant and said: "The ad was ambiguous as to whether or not the man had started drinking and considered that the sound of the can being opened along with the man's use of the phrase 'drinking beer' to describe what he was presently doing suggested that he had consumed alcohol."

The ASA added that the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising states that advertisements should not link alcohol with the use of driving and because the ad linked alcohol with driving it concluded the ad was irresponsible.

Mallusk Carpets was told to not show the ad in its current form again or link alcohol with driving in future ads.