Beer poster banned for false courage claim

A POSTER which showed a nervous man and the slogan "Take Courage my friend" was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority today for suggesting the beer could increase confidence.

The man was shown with a can of Courage beer looking worried as a woman modelled a figure-hugging dress with price tags still attached.

The authority received three complaints from people who said the poster implied that the beer would give the man confidence to either make negative comments about the woman's appearance or to take advantage of her. The complaints were upheld by the ASA. It said it understood the humorous intention of the scenario but concluded that the poster breached the Committee of Advertising Practice code "by suggesting that the beer could increase confidence".

Chris Lewis, marketing director at brewer Wells and Young's, said: "We are very surprised by the ASA's decision... Every man with some life experience has been in the situation where they have been asked the infamous line: 'Does my bum look big in this?' And as every man in Britain knows, the correct response is 'No!'"