Heineken forced to scrap Kronenbourg ad over misleading origin claim
Heineken UK was banned from using its Kronenbourg 1664 adverting campaign for misleading consumers.
The brewer was forced to pull both its press and TV advertising after complaints to the ASA objected that the adverts gave the impression Kronenbourg 1664 is brewed in France, when it is actually brewed in the UK.
In the TV ad, featuring iconic French footballer Eric Cantona, it stated: "Here in Alsace, things are a little bit different. The hop farmers are treated like the footballers of Britain. They are idolised and adored. And why not? They are living legends. They are the men that grow the noble hops that make Kronenbourg the taste supreme ...".
On-screen text present in the corner of the screen for several seconds stated: "Brewed in the UK".
The press ad stated: "If you find a better tasting beer, we'll eat our berets. The French know a thing or two about taste. That's why Kronenbourg 1664 is always brewed with the aromatic Strisselspalt hop for A Taste Supreme."
Small print in the bottom corner of the page stated: "Brewed in the UK".
In the TV ad, Cantona, stated: "Here in Alsace, things are a little bit different. The hop farmers are treated like the footballers of Britain. They are idolised and adored. And why not? They are living legends. They are the men that grow the noble hops that make Kronenbourg the taste supreme ...".
On-screen text present in the corner of the screen for several seconds stated "Brewed in the UK".
In its defence, Heineken UK stated that, despite being brewed under licence by their company in the UK, Kronenbourg 1664 was an inherently French beer. It had first been brewed in 1952 in Alsace by Brasseries Kronenbourg to celebrate their founder, it claimed.