Barney the Dinosaur advert prohibited for encouraging overindulgence in drinking

An advertisement by a bar featuring Barney the Dinosaur that used the term "T-wrecked" has been banned for promoting excessive drinking by the advertising watchdog.

The paid Meta post by MOJO Manchester in May included the purple children's TV character alongside the text: "ONE TEQUILA, TWO TEQUILA, THREE TEQUILA, FLOOR – Barney".

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) acknowledged the ad was meant to be humorous but decided it "encouraged excessive drinking" and was likely to appeal to those under 18.

MOJO stated they were "adamant in our belief that we did not attempt to encourage underage alcohol consumption or excessive consumption".

The company also stated the post was meant to be an amusing cautionary tale, hence the use of the character Barney and the phrase "T-wrecked".

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They intended to engage with adult guests in a humorous way that encouraged comment and discussion, not consumption, the firm added.

'Amusing in tone'

However, the ASA stated that advertisements should not feature real or fictional characters likely to appeal particularly to people under 18 in a way that might encourage young people to drink.

It found the image of the dinosaur was brightly colored with a playful, friendly appearance, which it believed would particularly appeal to children, especially combined with the counting rhythm of the text.

The ASA added the advert appeared on a social media site where users self-declared their age without robust verification, and no additional steps were taken to prevent younger users from seeing it.

The watchdog continued: "We acknowledged that the ad was intended to be amusing in tone.

"However, we considered it nonetheless encouraged excessive drinking and therefore breached the code."

The ASA ruled the advertisement must not appear again in the form complained of.

A Mojo spokesperson said: "The overwhelming response to the post was one of good-natured amusement. Exactly what we had intended.

"We believe the ASA has erred in their judgment on this matter and risk drifting into the realms of censorship."

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The popular Barney & Friends ran from 1992 until 2010 and featured an actor in a costume.

The new series Barney's World premiered in 2024 with a new animated character.