Mark Beretta’s Sunrise chat with Buddy Franklin found to breach alcohol marketing code

An interview featuring footy great Buddy Franklin taking a swig of beer on a popular breakfast show has been found to have breached the alcohol marketing code.

An interview featuring footy great Buddy Franklin taking a swig of beer and talking up his new booze ambassadorship that aired on Channel Seven’s Sunrise breakfast show has been found to have breached the alcohol marketing code.

Franklin is the face of Hahn Ultra Zero Carb beer which is owned by beverage giant Lion.

The interview between Franklin and Sunrise sports guy Mark Beretta was arranged by Lion’s PR agency Thinkerbell as an unpaid editorial opportunity in which Franklin talked about life after footy and his new role as a beer ambassador.

Two beer bottles were on the desk in front of Franklin and Beretta and the men finished their chat, which included footage of Franklin’s Hahn Ultra Zero ad, by opening the beers and having a drink.

Buddy Franklin and Mark Beretta talk beer in an interview aired on Sunrise. Picture: Sunrise

The chat was recorded at 12.30pm the day before it was broadcast on July 5 at 7.50am on Sunrise.

Two complaints were filed by viewers claiming the segment was product placement for beer hidden within an interview and that it was promoting alcohol at a time when children were watching.

The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code adjudication panel investigated the complaints and while it accepted Lion had no editorial control over the interview it found Lion “set up the interview, it had the full intention of advancing Mr Franklin’s role as its product brand ambassador, it supplied the product shown and consumed in the interview and it supplied the promotional video obviously hoping and reasonably expecting that it might be used.”

The retired footy legend is the face of Hahn Ultra Zero Carb beer. Picture: supplied

It found the product placement in the interview breached the time of day restrictions for alcohol marketing on linear free-to-air TV. The finding was made against Lion.

Marketing of alcohol on free-to-air TV is permitted during live sporting events or at times when children would generally be expected to be in bed or at school.

Lion Australia marketing director, Rachel Ellerm, said: “following the outcome of the investigation, Lion has requested Channel Seven does not make further use of the interview, and will of course take the findings into account for future ambassador media opportunities.”

Channel Seven said in a statement: “The segment in question was an editorial interview not paid content and was filmed at 12.30pm the day before. Sunrise is a news, public affairs and entertainment program aimed at an adult audience. Seven Network was not privy to the ABAC investigation.”