InBev beer advert stereotypes women, regulator says

An advert for beer that tried to overturn stereotypes about women and beer was itself guilty of stereotyping women, according to the industry regulator.

The advertorial, published in various print media, set out to combat the idea that beer is exclusively a man’s drink, AB InBev argued. It went on to describe in five ways how a beer-drinking woman is “the very best partner”: There is always beer in the house, she understands when he wants to go for a pintje, her man doesn’t have to pretend to know anything about wine, she doesn’t need a glass and she is always good company.

A viewer complained about the ad, claiming it was denigrating to women, “catapulting them back to the 1950s”. The advert was also, they said, irresponsible in relation to the dangers of excess alcohol consumption.

The Jury for Ethical Practices in Advertising agreed, saying the advert’s claim might be taken literally by some, and that the use of clichéd thinking would have “a tendency to belittle women”. The ruling calls on AB InBev – whose most famous slogan, for Jupiler beer, is “Mannen weten waarom” (Men know why) – to amend the advert or withdraw it from circulation.

AB InBev said the advert was not meant to be hostile to women but instead to break down prejudices in a fun way. A spokesperson said the company would respect the ruling and keep it in mind for the future.

Photo courtesy Nan Palmero/Wikimedia