The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a social media advert by comedian Al Nash for implying that Strongbow cider was “indispensable” for him.

The post, made on Instagram, showed a talking can of cider trying to persuade a man to stop preparing his wedding vows and instead attend a barbecue where he would drink alcohol.

A single complainant challenged whether the ad breached the regulatory code by implying alcohol, such as Strongbow, might be indispensable or take priority in life.

Detailing its reasons for banning the ad, a spokesperson for ASA said: “We acknowledge that viewers would understand the ad to be a fictional, comedic sketch. We accepted that it was a comic portrayal of an internal monologue that drew on a scene from a well-known film, and was light-hearted and humorous in tone.

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“But ultimately, we considered the ad portrayed alcohol as being more important than personal relationships and a significant life event, and therefore implied that alcohol was indispensable and took priority in life.”

The Strongbow ad featured comedian Al Nash who talks to a can of the cider.

The regulator ruled that the ad must not appear again in the form complained of, and that parent firm Heineken must ensure that their future ads did not imply that alcohol was indispensable or took priority in life.

Responding to the ruling, a Strongbow spokesperson said: “The ad was intended to entertain rather than to make a literal claim about alcohol consumption and that the alcoholic content of the drink was not mentioned in the ad.

“The ad was a humorous, fictional sketch with an overtly surreal and comedic tone, exaggerated characterisation and absurd dialogue that parodied the common, internal conflict of choosing between social activities and personal responsibilities.”

Strongbow complied with the ruling, and removed the post.