Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream complaint not upheld

A complaint accusing Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream of appealing to under-18s has been dismissed.

A member of the public raised the complaint with the Portman Group, voicing concerns the Scotch whisky had particular appeal to those aged under 18.

The Portman Group’s Independent Complaints Panel assessed whether the alcoholic content of the drink was communicated on the packaging ‘with absolute clarity’, and whether it did appeal to minors.

While the panel noted ice cream may contribute to the appeal that marketing had to children, it was a combination of factors that made packaging particularly appealing to under-18s.

The panel noted the term ‘ice cream’ was the most prominent text on the front label, and the pastel colours of the packaging. However, apart from a small cone pattern on the bottom of the bottle’s neck, there was no additional imagery relating to ice cream.

Considering both the primary and secondary packaging of Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream, the panel highlighted how the design used muted colours, abstract design, and a ‘sophisticated font style’, so as not to appeal to children.

As a result, the complaint was not upheld.

Rachel Childs, chair of the Independent Complaints Panel, said: “There is clear precedent that ice cream can have a broad appeal to all age groups.

“In this case, the panel was satisfied that the product packaging was targeted at adults and did not include bright contrasting primary colours, cartoon imagery or thick keylines, which may have particular appeal to under-18s.

“The panel therefore concluded that Glenmorangie’s A Tale of Ice Cream whisky packaging did not fall foul of the Code and did not uphold the complaint.”