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Clwb Ifor Bach sanctioned by ASA over Welsh tweet
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 15 October 2015
Cardiff venue Clwb Ifor Bach has had its wrists slapped by the Advertising Standards Agency after suggesting patrons get “hammered” while speaking Welsh.
In a tweet to Yr Awr Gymraeg, an organisation that promotes events and organisations that use the Welsh language, the venue wrote: “Dewch i fynd yn hammered yn y Gymraeg. Ma’ bob aelod o staff bar ni’n siarad Cymraeg!” Or in English: “Come and get hammered in Welsh. All our bar staff speak Welsh!”
The ASA investigated the tweet after receiving a complaint. The advertising regulator said it understood the venue’s defence, that it had been aiming more to promote speaking Welsh than drinking to excess. However, the ASA nevertheless upheld the complaint, saying that people could easily have construed the tweet as an invitation to get very drunk, and therefore the promotion broke alcohol promotion rules contained within the UK Code Of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion And Direct Marketing.
It was ruled that the message should not be tweeted again, and that Clwb Ifor Bach should not encourage excessive drinking in future.
Though, if nothing else, we’ve all learned that there is no word in the Welsh language for “hammered”. Which is possibly the greatest irony of this whole incident.
