ARB clears Wildebeest Brandewyn ad accused of promoting binge drinking

A snippet from the ad. Source: YouTube.

Brandy is like love

The ruling, issued on 11 May 2026, followed complaints from two viewers who argued that the advert encouraged excessive alcohol consumption through the line: “Brandy is like love – the more you get, the happier you are.”

The commercial features veteran South African actor Ian Roberts playing a humorous “oupa” character sitting on a farmhouse stoep with a younger man named Kleinjan. After asking for a “fresh one”, Kleinjan discovers cans of brandy and soda inside the fridge, prompting the controversial line about brandy and happiness.

One complainant, a registered addiction counsellor, argued that the advert promoted a “dangerous and false message” by implying alcohol adds value to people’s lives. She said the commercial contradicted efforts to combat harmful misconceptions around alcohol dependency and highlighted the role alcohol abuse plays in crime, gender-based violence and the destruction of lives.

A second complainant argued that the advert encouraged binge drinking and excessive alcohol consumption by suggesting that “the more brandy you get, the happier you are”.

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Character-based humour

In response, Bundu Brands defended the advert as “light-hearted, fictional, character-based humour”, arguing that the statement was clearly exaggerated banter rather than a factual claim. The company also maintained that the commercial did not depict intoxication, unsafe behaviour, binge drinking or alcohol as a solution to personal problems.

The ARB considered whether the advert breached clauses relating to misleading claims and provisions in the Alcohol Industry Code of Conduct that prohibit advertising suggesting alcohol leads to personal success or solves social problems.

In its ruling, the Directorate acknowledged “significant discomfort” with the message that “the more [brandy] you get, the happier you are”, particularly given South Africa’s ongoing binge drinking challenges.

However, the ARB ultimately found that the overall tone of the advert was comedic and nostalgic, noting the use of humour, cultural references and the familiar “oupa” archetype. The Directorate concluded that viewers were unlikely to interpret the message literally or see it as an instruction to drink irresponsibly.

The ruling also stated that alcohol advertising is legally permitted to use positive associations to market products, provided it does not explicitly promise success or claim to solve personal problems.

The ARB therefore ruled that the advert did not contravene the Code’s provisions on misleading claims or irresponsible alcohol messaging.

However, it cautioned that the commercial “could have been more thoughtfully scripted” and urged the advertiser to proceed carefully with future campaigns.