Russian Beer Advertising

Alcohol distribution and advertising face stringent regulations in many countries worldwide. However, in recent years, Russia has made significant strides in this field. The upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup played a role in shaping the landscape, opening up new opportunities for beer advertising. Moreover, the majority of restrictions do not apply to non-alcoholic beer, creating a wide range of possibilities for beer branding. To explore the strategies for advertising beer in Russia, refer to the informative material provided by Quarter Billion Agency Group.

Russia’s Rich History of Advertising Restrictions: Russia has a long-standing history of imposing legal restrictions on alcohol advertising, including beer. Over time, these standards have undergone numerous changes and are likely to evolve further. Nevertheless, due to the FIFA World Cup in 2018, these restrictions were temporarily relaxed until the end of that year. This presents an opportune moment to enter the beer market in Russia.

Russian legislators have been actively combatting alcohol advertising for quite some time. The ban on TV advertisements for strong alcoholic beverages was implemented in 1996. However, TV beer commercials remained permissible for a considerably longer period, albeit with increasing limitations. Starting from 2006, beer ads could only be aired on TV between 22:00 and 07:00, and strict regulations prevented associating beer with success, family, health, or societal standards. Finally, in 2012, Russian legislators succeeded in prohibiting beer advertisements on TV, radio, print media, and the internet (within the “ru” and “.рф” domain zones).

Yet, this prohibition was short-lived. In 2014, beer advertising received some legal leniency due to the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia. Recognizing that breweries were the primary advertisers at sporting events, these relaxations were introduced but were set to expire on January 1, 2019.

Currently, beer advertising in Russia is possible but subject to the following restrictions:

• Excluding covers, the first and last pages of print publications and magazines.
• Limited to sport TV channels and radio stations.
• Restricted during live broadcasts or recorded sports competitions, excluding those involving children or youth.
• Limited to a distance of 100 meters around sports venues during official sporting events.

However, beer advertisements must adhere to the general advertising restrictions imposed on alcoholic beverages. Therefore, these advertisements are required to highlight the potential harms of alcohol consumption. They cannot target underage individuals or promote the safety or benefits of drinking alcohol. Advertising must not emphasize the importance of alcohol for achieving success in life or similar claims. Additionally, it is crucial that beer ads refrain from using human or animal characters, including animated ones. These restrictions have been in place since 2012 and continue to be applicable.

Therefore, despite the reintroduction of beer advertisements in the media, they remain subject to significant limitations in terms of placement, timing, and expression. One approach to circumvent these advertising restrictions is through “Umbrella branding,” where the closest related product to beer, such as non-alcoholic beverages, is promoted instead.

As per the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), beverages with an alcohol content of less than 0.5% are not considered alcoholic drinks and are not subject to advertising restrictions. The key differentiating factor is the ability to use human and animal characters to create memorable advertisements with plots, dialogues, emotions, and story-driven characters.

However, there are certain limitations to consider when advertising non-alcoholic beer. It is crucial to highlight the uniqueness of the product in the advertisement, specifically emphasizing that it is non-alcoholic beer. Failure to do so may result in the advertisement being subjected to the same restrictions as other alcoholic products.

It is important to note that the interpretation of product individualization by the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) is not consistently applied. However, in the case of non-alcoholic beer, the FAS has adopted a formal approach and approved this type of advertising. In collaboration with representatives from the advertising industry, a special mark was developed to emphasize the advertisement’s focus on non-alcoholic beer. Since the FAS has approved this marking, non-alcoholic beer manufacturers need not worry. These new regulations came into effect on March 1, 2016.

However, non-alcoholic beer can be utilized not only for “umbrella branding” that appeals to alcohol consumers. The prohibition on alcohol advertising in Russia resulted in a decline in beer sales. However, this did not have a significant impact on the sales of non-alcoholic beer. Between 2013 and 2015, alcohol production decreased by 19%, whereas the production of non-alcoholic beer witnessed a growth of 9.4%. Retailers have observed a consistent increase in the demand for non-alcoholic beer.

Experts attribute this current situation to the specifics of advertising legislation. Beer producers face limitations in their advertising capabilities and, therefore, focus on promoting their non-alcoholic offerings to influence their overall brand. These advertisements have a direct impact on the rise in non-alcoholic beer sales.

Currently, advertising non-alcoholic beer serves as an effective means to showcase an entire brand. Moreover, there is no cause for concern regarding future changes, as the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) and market representatives have already reached an agreement.

In regard to advertising regular beer, there are certain limitations; however, due to the FIFA World Cup, it will be permissible until 2019. This makes 2019 an opportune time to enter the alcohol market. The experts at Quarter Billion Agency Group can assist you in comprehending the intricacies of marketing legislation and develop a compelling strategy for entering the Russian market.

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