Scroll through Instagram for a few minutes and you will probably see it. A famous liquor brand name on a bottle of “club soda”. A music festival sponsored by a whisky label. An influencer posing with a branded glass at a rooftop party, captioned with nothing more than a hashtag and a vibe. None of these posts say “buy alcohol”, yet many of them leave exactly that impression.
This is surrogate advertising, and it has become one of the most common ways alcohol brands reach young audiences in India, where direct liquor advertising is restricted. It matters because alcohol is already widely used in the country. According to the government’s Magnitude of Substance Use in India report released in 2019, about 16 crore people aged 10 to 75 consume alcohol, and more than 5.7 crore are affected by harmful or dependent use. Treatment remains scarce, and some families eventually look far from home, to local de-addiction centres or overseas programs such as luxury substance abuse treatment Malibu clinics offer. Understanding how alcohol marketing works online is a useful first step in protecting yourself and the people you care about.
What Is Surrogate Advertising?
Surrogate advertising is a way of promoting a product that cannot legally be advertised by advertising a different product that carries the same brand name. In India, liquor brands have often used items such as soda, mineral water, music CDs, glassware, or playing cards as stand-ins. The ad looks like it is for the harmless product, but the real goal is to keep the alcohol brand name in front of consumers.
What Indian Rules Say
India has restricted alcohol advertising for decades. The Cable Television Networks Rules of 1994 prohibit advertising on cable television that directly or indirectly promotes the sale or consumption of alcohol. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self-regulatory body set up in 1985, also has a code that says products whose advertising is prohibited must not get around those restrictions by posing as ads for other products.
In June 2022, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) went further by issuing Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. These guidelines specifically prohibit surrogate or indirect advertising of products whose advertising is restricted by law.
The Digital Loophole
Despite these rules, industry experts quoted by the media outlet Storyboard18 have said that liquor brands frequently exploit grey areas, including vague definitions and less-regulated digital platforms. Reports have also indicated that the CCPA has been working on stricter rules aimed at celebrities and influencers who promote alcohol through surrogate ads, with possible penalties reported to reach up to Rs 50 lakh.
Where Alcohol Marketing Hides on Instagram
Surrogate and indirect alcohol marketing does not always look like an ad. Here are some of the most common forms you might see in your feed.
- Brand extension products. Soda, water, or snacks carrying the same name and logo as a well-known liquor brand. The product in the post may be legal to advertise, but the brand recognition it builds often points straight back to the alcohol.
- Event and sports sponsorships. Music festivals, parties, and sporting events branded with liquor company names. Media experts have noted that sponsorships are one of the ways brands promote their core product without direct advertising.
- Influencer lifestyle posts. Reels and photos where a branded bottle or glass appears casually in the frame. These posts often feel like personal content rather than promotions, which can make them more persuasive.
- Party and nightlife reels. Content that links drinking with fun, confidence, and being part of the in-crowd. Even without a brand name, these posts can make heavy drinking look normal.
- Giveaways and gifting. Contests, merchandise drops, and branded gift boxes that build engagement with a liquor brand while technically promoting something else.
Once you know these patterns, it becomes much easier to notice them. Spotting the strategy is the first step toward deciding how much influence you want it to have.
Why It Matters for Young People
Social media engagement with alcohol content is linked to drinking behaviour. A 2018 meta-analysis led by Brenda Curtis, then at the University of Pennsylvania, pooled 19 studies with more than 9,000 users and found that greater engagement with alcohol-related social media content was associated with higher alcohol consumption and more alcohol-related problems among adolescents and young adults. The researchers noted that the link may run in both directions, but they also highlighted that social media exposes young people to both peer content and alcohol marketing.
In India, the stakes are significant. The 2019 national survey found that every third alcohol user needs help for alcohol-related problems, yet only about 2.6% of people dependent on alcohol reported receiving any treatment.
How to Take Back Control of Your Feed
You do not have to delete Instagram to protect yourself from constant alcohol messaging. A few small steps can make a big difference. Unfollow or mute accounts that mostly post party and drinking content. Use the “Not interested” option on posts that push alcohol brands. Follow creators who share fitness, food, travel, music, or sober lifestyle content. And if you see an ad you believe breaks the rules, ASCI accepts complaints from the public about misleading or surrogate advertisements.
Your Bio, Your Story
Your Instagram bio and feed say a lot about who you are. Choosing what you share, and what you allow into your feed, is a quiet way of shaping the life you want. For anyone trying to cut back on drinking, a feed free of constant alcohol cues can make that goal a little easier.
When Drinking Becomes a Concern
If you or someone close to you is drinking more than intended, finding it hard to stop, or feeling unwell without alcohol, it may be time to speak with a doctor or a qualified de-addiction specialist. Anyone who drinks heavily every day should get medical advice before stopping suddenly, because alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous.
Final Thoughts
Alcohol advertising in India may be restricted, but it has not disappeared. It has simply changed shape, moving into soda bottles, festival banners, and influencer reels. Learning to recognise surrogate ads helps you see past the branding and make your own choices about what you watch, share, and drink.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is alcohol advertising banned in India?
Direct alcohol advertising is restricted. The Cable Television Networks Rules of 1994 prohibit TV ads that promote alcohol, and the CCPA’s 2022 guidelines prohibit surrogate or indirect advertising of products whose advertising is restricted by law.
2. What is an example of surrogate advertising?
A common example is a liquor brand advertising soda, water, or music products under the same brand name. The ad appears to promote a legal product while keeping the alcohol brand in consumers’ minds.
3. How many people in India are affected by harmful alcohol use?
According to the 2019 Magnitude of Substance Use in India report, more than 5.7 crore people are affected by harmful or dependent alcohol use, and only about 2.6% of alcohol-dependent individuals reported receiving any treatment.