SAB faces backlash over 'underground' paid influencer campaign against booze ban

SA Breweries has been taken to task on social media for its campaign against the alcohol ban using undisclosed influencer marketing posts.

A number of South African celebrities and social media influencers have apparently been involved in the SAB campaign, opposing the alcohol ban in their posts without declaring their paid partnership with the beer giant.

Over the weekend, #AlcoholBan trended on Twitter following a video posted by actress and entrepreneur Khanyi Mbau, who’s believed to be part of the SAB campaign.

A four-page document purported to be the SAB’s influencer campaign brief was also circulated on Twitter causing a stir on the platform.

We certainly share the government’s concern regarding the increase in COVID-19 infections & the need to further improve our country’s preparedness to safeguard our people. However, we don’t believe that the outright suspension of alcohol & beer sales is a sustainable approach.

— SABreweries (@SABreweries) January 8, 2021

This is indeed the painful truth. The thousands of livelihoods that depend on the beer industry’s value chain are at risk, not to mention those who’ve suffered from prior bans. Moreover, it deprives the Govt from an important source of revenue, when it is needed most.#alcoholban

— SABreweries (@SABreweries) January 4, 2021

There is no doubt that there are unintended and wide-reaching consequences of the current suspension @ManakaRanaka, many of which will have long term effects for many South Africans. We need to be #ResponsibleTogether for a financially sustainable future.

— SABreweries (@SABreweries) January 8, 2021

Political communications specialist Chris Vick says the controversy surrounding this campaign highlights many ethical questions about deceptive influencer marketing.

He says celebrities like Mbau get paid thousands of rands for their influencer posts and should declare all their brand partnerships on social media.

Last week, SA Breweries announced that it would be taking legal action against the government to challenge the constitutionality of the latest alcohol ban.

What’s missing from Khanyi Mbau’s video message is that she’s been paid [between R60,000 to R150,000] by SAB to say that.

Chris Vick, Political communications specialist

That’s the fundamental issue. This push towards so-called influencers is very dishonest. We don’t know if they are getting paid or not or how much they are getting paid because they never declare it.

Chris Vick, Political communications specialist

It’s like sponsorship, which to me is very different from lobbying.

Chris Vick, Political communications specialist

I think we need to ask some very serious questions about the ethics of using people who supposedly have influence to do sponsorship for companies without declaring it and then pretending that it’s an intervention into social messaging. It isn’t. It’s sponsorship.

Chris Vick, Political communications specialist

Rather than spending money on influencers, build some wards, provide social workers who can deal with people who have alcohol problems. Look at early childhood development centres. There’s a lot of good things they could do with that money rather than making rich people even richer.

Chris Vick, Political communications specialist

Here’s what some Twitter users had to say about the controversial SABC campaign:

The “underground” campaign by South African Breweries (@abinbev) represents pure capitalist greed and opportunism. The scientific reality is that the socio economic, healthcare and general damage and destruction caused by alcohol far outweigh the livelihood benefits. Desist guys!

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) January 10, 2021

I so wish the alcohol industry could also use influencers to educate people about irresponsible drinking and the public health effects of alcohol.

— Mapato_Ramokgopa (@obonwer) January 10, 2021

The strangest part about the #alcoholban convo is that they want us to believe that these influencers who have never spoken up about the economic situation in the country before, suddenly care about the fact that people are gonna lose their jobs pic.twitter.com/s5yzP3hx9Z

— Jade’ ✨ (@helensharpestan) January 9, 2021

Yeah no, promo Twitter needs some kind of ethics council. That SAB campaign is dangerous

— Rocktor (@Mavumavu91) January 10, 2021

There are plenty of people giving SAB the smoke they rightfully deserve for this campaign but thinking Influencers should not be held accountable is ludacris. Just by the word “Influencer” means they hold power, so them being foot soldiers of SAB & spreading misinformation..

— Thula Sindi (@thulasindi) January 10, 2021

This SAB campaign goes on to further show why integrity is important. It raises a question: is there an ethical standard for influencer marketing?

— Big G (@VdaBigG) January 10, 2021

We should just have trauma hospitals, sponsored by SAB. You pitch up at a hospital with alcohol-related trauma?“Sorry, please go to the Castle Lite Clinic down the road.”

— Timothy de Wet (@timdewet) January 11, 2021

Dear @SABreweries

You sort of gave the game away by putting the ‘math’ component in Khanyi’s script.

It was all going very well until then.

— Khaya Sithole (@CoruscaKhaya) January 10, 2021

Listen to the discussion on The Midday Report with Lester Kiewit: