RSA Alcohol Promotions and Marketing Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following happy hour practices is most likely to comply with RSA standards?
- Unlimited refills for a fixed price during happy hour
- Discounting drinks by 20% for a two-hour window (Correct answer)
- Offering free shots to every customer who enters during happy hour
- Running happy hour promotions all night on weekends
Correct answer: Discounting drinks by 20% for a two-hour window
A moderate time-limited discount on individual drinks is a common, generally permissible promotion that does not inherently encourage excessive consumption.
Question 2: A liquor licensee wants to use social media to promote a drink special. Under RSA guidelines, what should they avoid?
- Posting about the special during business hours
- Using imagery that appeals primarily to minors (Correct answer)
- Mentioning the name of the licensed venue
- Including the price of the promoted drink
Correct answer: Using imagery that appeals primarily to minors
Alcohol promotions must not use imagery or language that appeals to minors, as this violates both responsible marketing standards and liquor licensing laws.
Question 3: What is the primary RSA concern with drink voucher systems at special events?
- Vouchers are difficult to track for accounting purposes
- Vouchers can be accumulated and redeemed rapidly, encouraging bingeing (Correct answer)
- Vouchers are not accepted by most licensed venues
- Vouchers make it harder to card patrons for age verification
Correct answer: Vouchers can be accumulated and redeemed rapidly, encouraging bingeing
Drink vouchers can be stockpiled and redeemed quickly, enabling rapid alcohol consumption that a responsible server would otherwise be able to pace.
Question 4: A venue promotes 'Power Hour' where drinks cost $1 each for 60 minutes. The main RSA risk is:
- Staff may undercharge for premium spirits
- The promotion incentivizes rapid and excessive drinking in a short period (Correct answer)
- Customers may not enjoy the reduced-quality drinks offered
- The promotion may not generate enough revenue to cover costs
Correct answer: The promotion incentivizes rapid and excessive drinking in a short period
A very short window with extremely low prices creates urgency to drink as much as possible quickly, significantly increasing intoxication risk.
Question 5: Under responsible marketing standards, which claim is acceptable in alcohol advertising?
- 'Drinking our beer will make you more attractive'
- 'Enjoy our craft ales — drink responsibly' (Correct answer)
- 'One drink of our spirit equals the confidence of a champion'
- 'Start your night right with three quick rounds'
Correct answer: 'Enjoy our craft ales — drink responsibly'
Including a 'drink responsibly' message is considered acceptable and is encouraged under responsible marketing standards, while other claims are misleading or harmful.
Question 6: Which promotional strategy aligns best with RSA principles at a ticketed event?
- Including unlimited alcohol in the ticket price
- Offering a set number of drink tickets with a water station nearby (Correct answer)
- Giving extra drink tickets to the first 50 people through the door
- Selling multi-drink packages at a steep discount
Correct answer: Offering a set number of drink tickets with a water station nearby
Limiting the number of drink tickets while providing easy access to water supports moderation and aligns with harm minimization under RSA standards.
Question 7: A venue sponsors a drinking game night as a promotional event. From an RSA perspective, this is problematic because:
- Drinking games generate noise complaints from neighbors
- Drinking games encourage rapid consumption and competitive drinking (Correct answer)
- Drinking games are not profitable for most licensed venues
- Drinking games require a special entertainment license in most states
Correct answer: Drinking games encourage rapid consumption and competitive drinking
Drinking games promote rapid and competitive alcohol consumption, directly undermining responsible service principles and increasing intoxication risk.
RSA Alcohol Promotions and Marketing Regulations 2
Which of the following happy hour practices is most likely to comply with RSA standards?