July 17th, 2021 by Allison Bray. From Independent.ie
Diageo is launching new drink under its Rockshore brand: “inspired by the bracing refreshment of the Irish coast and the energy of the Atlantic Ocean”.
The drink is a new line of fizzy-infused alcoholic beverage from the makers of Guinness, Smirnoff vodka and Captain Morgan’s rum. It consists of sparkling water and natural fruit flavors, with 4.5pc alcohol per 330ml can, a bit more than the average beer sold in Ireland.
However, nowhere in the description of the product sent via press the alcoholic content is mentioned or discussed. Mainly the calorie content is acknowledged. 
But Eunan McKinney, head of communications and advocacy for Alcohol Action Ireland said the new product launch is simply “a clever marketing ploy” aimed at enticing more women to drink. Not by chance, a photo of three hands, two of them nail-polished and presumably female hands, holding up a can is no coincidence, he said.
And linking the product with “the bracing refreshment of the Irish Coast” and “the energy of the Atlantic Ocean” is just a marketing ploy to make it sound healthier than it is, McKinney told the Irish Independent.
He continues by discussing how especially in Ireland, alcohol consumption amongst young women is far from healthy, considering that the most recent statistics from the Health Research Board (HRB) revealed that almost half of Irish women between 15 and 24 years old engage in binge drinking. Furthermore, women aged 25-34 also engage in episodic heavy drinking.
If one thinks that between 2008 and 2017, a third of deaths from alcoholic liver diseases affected women, and that a primary target of the alcoholic marketing and promotion are women which have been found to be chasing a “male drinking behavior”, a warning label on the new product line would be the least.
A spokesperson for the drinks giant responded: “This product, as with all our brands when marketed, will carry responsible drinking messages. Diageo is totally committed to the promotion of sensible drinking and takes this responsibility very seriously.”
Find the full article on the following link: https://www.independent.ie/news/is-hard-seltzer-a-refreshing-summer-trend-or-simply-alcoholic-water-designed-to-tempt-us-to-drink-more-40663258.html.