TikTok’s new U.S. policy now allows beverage-alcohol ads, creating fresh opportunities for beer, wine, and spirits brands—though strict guidelines ensure ads target legal-age audiences and promote responsible drinking. Read more to see how you can leverage TikTok advertising to grow your brand while remaining compliant.

📱TikTok’s New U.S. Beverage-Alcohol Advertising Guidelines

As of August, TikTok’s updated advertising policy now permits the promotion of alcohol within the United States. This change marks a significant shift for brands in the beer, wine, and spirits industry, allowing them to reach TikTok’s vast and growing audience, provided they adhere to stringent guidelines.

TikTok emphasizes that these changes are aligned with local laws and regulations, and its primary focus remains on protecting the interests of its users. According to the policy, alcohol advertisements on the platform must:

1. Target the Right Audience: Ads should only be placed in media where at least 73.8% of the audience is of legal purchase age (21 years or older), based on the latest U.S. Census data. Additionally, the platform can target registered users, ensuring that alcohol-related content is shown only to those who meet the age requirements.
2. Ad Content Restrictions: The ads cannot target individuals below the legal drinking age, feature people under the age of 25, or depict excessive drinking, intoxication, or reckless behavior under the influence of alcohol. Moreover, ads should not offer alcohol as a prize, reward, or through incentives like discounts.
3. Compliance with Laws and Ethical Advertising: All potential advertisers must work closely with a TikTok sales representative to ensure eligibility. The ads must clearly state the alcohol by volume (ABV) of the product, be registered in the target region, and comply with all applicable U.S. laws and regulations. Additionally, brands are encouraged to include a responsible drinking message in their ads.
4. Special Cases: Advertisers may promote alcohol clubs, subscription services, alcohol-branded merchandise, alcohol-making kits, and non-alcoholic beverages if all stipulations are met. However, products like THC- or CBD-infused alcoholic beverages and those claiming to offer hangover relief are strictly prohibited.

✅ Categories Wineries Can Advertise on TikTok

With TikTok’s updated advertising policies in the U.S., wineries now have various opportunities to promote their brands on the platform. However, it’s essential to adhere to specific guidelines to ensure compliance. Here’s a breakdown of the main categories that wineries can advertise, with real-world examples to guide your strategy:

Alcohol-Brand Sponsored Events

Wineries can advertise events sponsored by their brand, provided they follow strict regulations. To qualify, the event must target users aged 25 years or older, be registered in the target region, and comply with all applicable laws. Wineries must also work with a TikTok Sales Representative to determine eligibility.

Examples:

• Sporting Events: Promote your winery’s sponsorship of a local or national sports event.
• Music Tours: Advertise your partnership with a music tour, highlighting the unique connection between your wines and live music.
• Film Festivals: Showcase your sponsorship of a film festival, emphasizing the pairing of fine wines with cinema.
• Winery Tours: Highlight tours of your production facilities, offering users a behind-the-scenes look at how your wines are made.

Read our guide for more examples of events and collaborations your winery can leverage to sell more wine.

Alcohol Mixers and Accessories

Wineries can also advertise alcohol mixers and accessories, provided they meet eligibility requirements.

Examples:

• Cocktail Ingredients: Promote non-alcoholic ingredients that can be used to create wine-based cocktails, such as mixers and garnishes.
• Wine Accessories: Advertise accessories like bottle openers, wine racks, or custom wine glasses that enhance the wine-drinking experience.

Alcoholic Products

Wineries can promote their alcoholic products, including wine clubs, branded merchandise, and alcohol-making kits.

Examples:

• Wine Clubs: Advertise your wine subscription service, where customers can receive a curated selection of wines each month.
• Branded Merchandise: Promote your winery-branded merchandise, such as T-shirts, wine glasses, or tote bags.
• Alcohol-Making Kits: Offer kits that allow users to try their hand at making their own wine at home, provided they comply with legal regulations.
• 0% Alcohol Beverages: Highlight your line of non-alcoholic wines as an alternative for those who want the taste without the alcohol.

🚫 What’s Not Allowed

Certain categories are strictly prohibited on TikTok. These include:

• Alcoholic Products with Add-Ins: Products that include THC or CBD.
• Hangover Relief Products: Any product claiming to alleviate hangovers.
• Homemade Alcoholic Products: Advertisements for homemade alcoholic beverages.
• Retail or E-commerce Sales: Ads that promote the direct sale or delivery of alcoholic beverages are not allowed on TikTok.

By adhering to these guidelines, wineries can effectively and safely promote their brand on TikTok while reaching their target audience.

🚀 A New Frontier for U.S. Beverage-Alcohol Brands on Social Media

With TikTok now meeting the 73.8% threshold for legal-age audiences, alcohol brands have a new and powerful tool to engage with their target customers. However, caution is advised. Brands must ensure their messaging aligns with TikTok’s unique tone and content style to avoid missteps that could damage their reputation or alienate potential customers.

Need a refresher on how to effectively handle social media as a winery? Read our most popular guide that aims to simplify social media strategies with actionable insights and tips for achieving success.

📈 Conclusion

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying informed about these changes is crucial for businesses in the alcohol industry. If you’re looking to navigate this new advertising frontier, Corksy is here to help.