A complaint against Mikkeller’s Side Eyes Pale Ale, brought by the Metropolitan Police, has been upheld by the Portman Group.
The Side Eyes branding seen on the right
The complaint was made regarding the potential breach of two code rules. With regards to rule 3.1, which states that the alcoholic nature of a drink should be communicated on its packaging with absolute clarity, the panel ruled that, because of the cues on the can, including the large descriptor ‘pale ale’ and the product’s ABV, the product clearly communicated its alcoholic nature. That complaint was not upheld.
However, the panel upheld a complaint under rule 3.2(h) which states that a drink, its packaging, or promotion should not have a particular appeal to under-18s. The panel considered the artwork on the can to be cartoon-like and reminiscent of Minecraft.
The artwork uses bold lines with bright primary contrast colours and adds to the impression that the artwork appears immature. The panel also stated that the inclusion of more than one character contributed to the overall impression that the illustration was childish in its appearance.
Chair of the independent complaints panel, Nicola Williams, said: “While innovative design is to be encouraged, it is imperative that imagery does not have a particular appeal to under-18s.
“It is 25 years since the code of practice was adopted by the sector, and from the outset at its core is the principle that alcohol should only appeal to adults, which is why it is incumbent on producers to take the greatest care when innovating with an illustrative style.”
Mikkeller said: “It has, of course, never been the intention to make Side Eyes appealing to under-18s, and Side Eyes has never been targeted at under-18s. We have now implemented a redesign of the label so that is clear to all.”
