Russia's Ban on Alcohol Advertisements Now Includes Internet and Print Media

President Vladimir Putin signed off on changes to Russia's advertising law that prohibit print media (as of January 1, 2013) and Internet portals (immediately) from publishing alcohol advertisements. The measures are meant to lower consumption of alcohol, but industry representatives complain that the new law will drastically reduce advertising revenues.  As reported by Kommersant, Russia's total advertising market for Internet and print media in 2011 was 42 billion RUB ($1.2 million) and 40.5 billion rubles, respectively, with alcohol accounting for about 2 percent of this budget. Experts estimate that total losses for media budgets from the new rules could add up to 8.5 billion rubles. Maxim magazine gets 18 percent of its advertising from alcohol producers, said the magazine's advertising director Alexei Stavrovsky, and alcohol producers are among the top five advertisers in Esquire.  In addition to this ban, as of Monday, alcohol ads, including ads for beer, will not be allowed on public transportation, in airports or in railroad and bus stations. There is also now a ban on ads for any type of alcohol on television, radio, and street billboards, although alcohol producers will still be able to advertise at retail points where their products are sold.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/media-subject-to-new-dry-law-on-ads/462630.html