Posted On: March 7, 2024

Promoting Beverages Responsibly

“Drink responsibly.”

Big companies are required to put this disclaimer, or something similar, in their advertisements, even when research has shown they’re not very effective. It’s a little more complicated to promote responsible alcohol consumption when you own or manage an establishment where alcohol is actually served.

In this article, we’ll share valuable insights, tips, and strategies to help businesses navigate the intricate terrain of alcoholic beverage advertising while ensuring compliance with regulations and contributing to a culture of social responsibility.

Why Responsible Marketing is Important

Being a local establishment means more than just being part of the community; it means relying on community support for business success. However, the reality is that small businesses like yours face a higher likelihood of being directly liable for consumers' actions. Unlike larger corporations, small businesses often lack the extensive means and resources to handle legal challenges.

While there are plenty of marketing tips available for bars and restaurants, small businesses must craft a marketing strategy that not only promotes their brand but also safeguards against inadvertently endorsing illegal drinking. Protecting your reputation and bottom line requires a careful and considerate approach to marketing, especially given the unique challenges faced by businesses of your scale.

Be Cautious Marketing to Younger Patrons

One particular example can be advertisements that land you in hot water because they target a younger crowd. This is something to especially be aware of if you’re located near a high school or university. Avoid advertisements for sweet or fruity drinks that include today’s slang or bright colors. It’s things like these that have gotten cigarette and vape companies in big legal trouble.

You should also steer clear of hiring social media influencers with a younger following to promote your business. Even if the influencer themselves is of legal drinking age, their content may reach and influence underage followers, leading to potential legal repercussions for both the bar and the influencer.

Don’t Advertise Events that Promote Overdrinking

Some events, like “Bar Olympics” and wet t-shirt contests, are tailor-made to encourage attendees to drink over their limits. Several pubs in England and Scotland even had their advertisements outright banned for the wording they used promoting events like these. While popular events like these can mean a great night for your cash registers, you’re courting liability for the actions of a drunk customer. Additionally, these events tend to appeal to a younger crowd, which brings you right back to the college marketing problem.

Instead, consider advertising events that draw a good crowd where people want to keep their wits about them. A well-hosted trivia night can become quite popular, but it won’t attract binge drinkers the way some other events will. And one or two drinks per person in a full house? Still not too shabby.

If You Market For a Crowd, Staff For One

If you promote an event that you expect to be popular, you have to be ready to serve a crowd responsibly. Every bar owner dreams of the successful nights that come with big holiday bashes, popular sporting events, and other crowd-pleasers, but on a crowded night, it's hard for regular staff to monitor everyone's intake, be aware of second-party sales, and recognize when they need to refuse service. To solve this, try being proactive about staffing so that you have extra people on hand or at least on call. This approach ensures a smoother operation during peak times, improving both service quality and compliance with responsible serving practices.