Following the release of a revised and strengthened Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) in April this year, ABAC has reviewed and developed a new Best Practice Guide for Digital Marketing.

The Guide outlines the application of ABAC Code standards to digital marketing and also explores best practice to assist companies in the responsible implementation and management of their digital marketing.

“The ABAC Code content standards have applied to digital forms of alcohol marketing since 2004 and to the placement of digital alcohol marketing since 2017. The guide highlights the broad range of digital media that the ABAC Panel has examined over that period, from Spotify and Shazam through to Instagram and Youtube and covers mechanisms from reposts of user generated content through to influencers engaged to promote a brand.” ABAC Chair Hon Tony Smith said.

“Digital media is complex and rapidly evolving. Importantly the Guide assists industry to keep pace with these changes and understand all of the options available to them to make socially responsible choices in the management of their digital marketing. The ABAC Code requires that age restrictions are used to exclude minors from receiving alcohol ads. The best practice recommendations go further and in addition to providing guidance on working with influencers, and moderation of user generated content, outline a wide range of currently available measures to further reduce the risk of ads reaching minors including:

• responsible use of exclusion and inclusion programmatic targeting tools;
• responsible ad placement on digital commercial television stations via connected tv; and
• a resource on how users can access self-exclusion options to exclude alcohol ads from appearing on their viewing platforms.

“We welcome the recent advancement in self-exclusion options, most recently by SBS On Demand. Providing consumers with choice over the ads they see is a positive initiative for the whole community.

“ABAC has been a leader globally in responding to the evolution in digital and emerging media with regular upgrades to its Code, Best Practice Guide and educational resources as new media and techniques emerge. ABAC is committed to reviewing this guide on a regular basis so that it remains up to date with the latest developments and options.”

ABAC’s new Best Practice Guide for Responsible Digital Marketing is now available online.

More information about ABAC is also available at: http://www.abac.org.au/