Former ‘Love Island’ Host Laura Whitmore Gin Ads Removed for Implying Alcohol ‘Could Enhance an Individual’s Confidence’

Laura Whitmore poses for photographers upon arrival at the Pride of Britain Awards on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 in London. (Photo: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Social media gin ads posted by Laura Whitmore, BBC Radio 5Live presenter and former host of “Love Island (U.K.),” have been removed for implying that alcohol “could enhance an individual’s confidence.”

Whitmore is a shareholder in The Muff Liquor Company and first invested in November of 2021 after meeting the brand’s founder at a London Irish charity event.

According to the Independent, Whitmore posted videos on TikTok and Instagram in July, featuring The Muff Liquor Company’s Irish Potato Craft Gin and lively dancing. The videos depicted Whitmore sipping various beverages, including a gin and tonic made with Muff Gin, while her dancing increased in energy.

The captions of the gin ads read “If drinks were dance moves @muffliquorco” along with the tags “#makemineamuff,” “#muffboss” and “#irishowned.”

The gin ads were challenged based on their inability to be clearly identifiable as branded marketing content and had been inappropriately marketed to individuals under 18, per the Independent. Whitmore shared that since she was not paid for the posts, she believed that “#ad” “would not have been a suitable disclaimer,” according to the report.

After investigating, The Advertising Standards Authority said that the posts were not properly marked as ads and could not appear again. It was also determined that since a lot of fans of “Love Island” are under 18 years old, young TikTok users had a chance of seeing the ads.

“Even if those individuals did not follow Ms Whitmore, we considered it was likely that the algorithm would determine Ms Whitmore’s posts to be of interest to them, meaning they would appear in their ‘For You’ page,” the ASA said, per the Independent.

“Whilst we acknowledged that the ads were presented in a light-hearted tone, nonetheless we considered that consumers would interpret the ads to mean that drinking alcohol could precipitate a change in an individual’s behaviour and could enhance an individual’s confidence,” the ASA added.

It was agreed that future ads for The Muff Liquor Company featuring Whitmore would be reviewed prior to posting.

The Muff Liquor Company’s spirit range, featuring a well-loved Irish potato-based gin. (Photo: The Muff Liquor Company)

In January, “Gladiator” star Russell Crowe announced his investment in The Muff Liquor Company. Crowe’s “drinking buddies,” English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, Irish singer Ronan Keating and British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr also invested in the spirits brand.

The Muff Liquor Company was founded in 2017 by Laura Bonner and her business partner, Tom Russell. Other than an award-winning gin, the brand produces Irish whiskey and potato vodka.

Read next:

‘More Antioxidants Than Blueberries’: Gordon Ramsay Gin Ads Banned for Nutritional Claims

Booze Brand Under Fire for ‘Venom’ Flavor That Implies Bravery is Required to Drink it

Gin Discontinued for ‘Wholly Irresponsible’ Medicine Bottle Design

Here at Gin Raiders, we do more than write about current events in gin and spirits. We are the only media property reviewing gins and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the gin world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of gin in your morning email, sign up for our Deal of the Day newsletter.