Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP, 12 May 2026
Dutch health organizations have filed a formal complaint with the Advertising Code Committee regarding an advertising campaign by the alcohol brand Stëlz. It is a Dutch producer in which beer brewer Heineken holds a minority stake.
In the campaign, the product is promoted as ‘The new hard lemonade’. On billboards and on YouTube, rapper Bizzey and actress Holly Mae Brood are pictured holding a Stëlz Hard Lemonade can. Notably, Stëlz has not imposed an age restriction on this video. The campaign is being distributed via social media (Instagram, TikTok) and utilizes influencers and Dutch celebrities who are popular among young people. The complaint is based on the fact that an alcoholic beverage is being promoted as a type of soft drink and, given the advertisements, is specifically aimed at minors. Stëlz states that the advertisement falls within the rules but, following the controversy, decided to modify the campaign to make it clearer that it concerns alcohol. If the full complaint is upheld, Stëlz is estimated to have to remove thousands of cans from shelves.