Beetlejuice

“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice”.  In this case, it’s summoned Dr Thirsty’s Beetlejuice and the Panel’s decision from 1997.  A Trading Standards Officer from Bristol complained that the product suggested it was a reputed aphrodisiac and that the character on the bottle would predominantly appeal to under-18s.

When considering the product, the Panel noted that the name was identical to a 1988 film about a ghost and a spin-off children’s animated series.  The bottle design included black and white stripes, the same as the suit worn by the character Beetlejuice, and included the line ‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice…release the spirit’.  Therefore, the Panel concluded that there was a link between the product and the film Beetlejuice and that the character, which was popular in predominantly under-18s culture, was a breach of the Code.

The Panel also found that the line ‘reputed aphrodisiac’ suggested sexual success and upheld that part of the complaint too.

These days, nostalgia-based marketing has become more popular as a way to appeal to adults with themes from their teens/childhoods.  However, care should be taken if including childhood nostalgia in alcohol marketing as inclusion of elements which were popular with children many years ago may still hold an appeal to children today.  You can find more guidance on nostalgia-based marketing here.