Section 10. Advertising; generally; cooperative advertising; federal laws; cider; restrictions

A. All alcoholic beverage advertising is permitted in this Commonwealth except that which is prohibited or otherwise limited or restricted by regulation of the board. Any editorial or other reading matter in any periodical, publication or newspaper for the publication of which no money or other valuable consideration is paid or promised, directly or indirectly, by or for the benefits of any permittee or licensee does not constitute advertising.

B. Advertising of cider, as defined in § 4.1-213 of the Code of Virginia, shall conform to the requirements for advertising beer.

C. The board may issue a permit authorizing a variance from any of its advertising regulations for good cause shown.

D. No advertising shall contain any statement, symbol, depiction or reference that:

1. Would tend to induce minors to drink, or would tend to induce persons to consume to excess;

2. Is obscene or is suggestive of any illegal activity;

3. Incorporates the use of any present or former athlete or athletic team or implies that the product enhances athletic prowess; except that, persons granted a license to sell wine or beer may display within their licensed premises point-of-sale advertising materials that incorporate the use of any present or former professional athlete or athletic team, provided that such advertising materials: (i) otherwise comply with the applicable regulations of the appropriate federal agency and (ii) do not depict any athlete consuming or about to consume alcohol prior to or while engaged in an athletic activity, do not depict an athlete consuming alcohol while the athlete is operating or about to operate a motor vehicle or other machinery, and do not imply that the alcoholic beverage so advertised enhances athletic prowess;

4. Is false or misleading in any material respect;

5. Implies or indicates, directly or indirectly, that the product is government endorsed by the use of flags, seals or other insignia or otherwise;

6. Makes any reference to the intoxicating effect of any alcoholic beverages;

7. Constitutes or contains a contest or sweepstakes where a purchase is required for participation; or

8. Constitutes or contains an offer to pay or provide anything of value conditioned on the purchase of alcoholic beverages, except for refund coupons and combination packaging. Any such combination packaging shall be limited to packaging provided by the manufacturer that is designed to be delivered intact to the consumer.

E. The board shall not regulate advertising of nonalcoholic beer or nonalcoholic wine so long as (i) a reasonable person by common observation would conclude that the advertising clearly does not represent any advertisement for alcoholic beverages and (ii) the advertising prominently states that the product is nonalcoholic.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR125-01-2 § 1, eff. December 12, 1985; amended, Volume 03, Issue 01, eff. November 12, 1986; Volume 04, Issue 06, January 21, 1988; Volume 05, Issue 02, eff. November 24, 1988; Volume 06, Issue 02, eff. November 23, 1989; Volume 07, Issue 04, eff. December 19, 1990; Volume 08, Issue 06, eff. January 15, 1992; Volume 09, Issue 06, eff. January 13, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 11, eff. March 23, 1994; Volume 18, Issue 23, eff. August 28, 2002; Volume 26, Issue 11, eff. March 5, 2010; Volume 30, Issue 06, eff. December 18, 2013.

Statutory Authority

§§ 4.1-111 and 4.1-320 of the Code of Virginia.