Alcohol Policy Changes - Hard Alcohol Available Online Through AdWords

As these query volumes for liquor and wines show, the holiday season is the main time when people search for their tipple of choice.

Three weeks ago the AdWords policy on advertising hard liquor was changed in the UK. Previously, hard alcohol suppliers could only use search advertising to promote their brand. Now, provided that they abide by strict restrictions, advertisers can promote the sale of spirits and liquor on search. Advertising these products on the GDN remains prohibited.

Some interesting facts:

• Liquor and wine queries are up 39% and 33% YoY respectively

• Out of the top 100 drinks related queries within the Liquor category, 60% of the queries were whiskey related and 10% liquer related

• Queries for alcohol are predominantly done for specific brands rather than using generic keywords, indicating a high level of brand loyalty

Like alcohol itself though, these new ads are best enjoyed responsibly and a full list of the new restrictions on alcohol can be found here


Posted by Anuj Ghaghada, UK Retail Team