Guinness defends advertising campaign

Drinks giant Guinness today defended an advertising campaign featuring cricketer Ian Botham, who has reportedly claimed it breaches his image rights.

The newspaper advertisement showing the former England, Somerset and Durham all-rounder portrays his match-winning performances during the 1981 Ashes series against Australia.

Fred Trueman, the ex-Yorkshire and England fast bowler, is quoted as saying of the player: "He couldn’t bowl a hoop downhill."

Botham’s displays with both the bat and ball at Headingley, including a half-century, 149 not out and six first-innings wickets, helped England to one of the greatest victories of all time and a series win.

The player’s solicitor, Nayesh Dasai, told the Daily Telegraph that the advert suggested Botham was endorsing Guinness when he was not and had no contract with them.

"This is a clear breach of his image rights," he told the paper.

Liz Young, a spokeswoman for Guinness, which is owned by the worldwide drinks firm Diageo, said:

"We can confirm we are in correspondence with Ian Botham but to date, no action has been taken by the party.

"The advertising campaign consisted of six different adverts, one featuring the image of Botham. The images in all the adverts were cleared for copyright use with the libraries they came from."

The ads appeared between May 31 and July 4 in a number of national newspapers.

They were part of the firm’s "Believe" campaign, in which the "v" is replaced by a pint of Guinness.

One has a quotation from former football manager Tommy Docherty about the Blackburn Rovers striker Dwight Yorke saying: "If that lad makes a First Division footballer, my name is Mao Tse-tung."

Another, from Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona shortly before England’s 1-0 World Cup victory against the South Americans this year, says: "The English are absolutely terrified. They are quaking in their boots."

Ms Young said: "The campaign is about self-belief. It focuses on individuals and teams who have managed to overcome criticism."

Asked whether the adverts could also be seen as a ploy to sell Guinness, she added: "They (the adverts) shouldn’t be seen as an endorsement."