You’ve never seen a television ad for whiskey. You’ve never seen a TV commercial for gin. In fact, you’ve never seen a TV ad for any type of hard alcohol or spirit. That’s the way its been and that’s the way it will always be.

Or maybe not.

The Seagram Corporation, which distills such products as Crown Royal and Chivas Regal Whiskey broke a self- imposed 53 year ban on liquor advertising on television.

Citing falling sales, Seagram aired a commercial promoting its Crown Royal brand in Corpus Christie, Texas, last June. The airing of the ad drew harsh criticism from President Clinton and children’s groups. The rest of the liquor industry has remained silent.

This month, Seagram’s launched a more widespread campaign hitting four medium-sized cities on the east coast. All of the ads air after 9 p.m. and, the company says, are in no way aimed at children.

From an interview on CNN, Seagram Vice President Arthur Shapiro

said the liquor industry is discriminating against itself. “The fact that beer and wine is allowed to advertise is very unfair, because when it comes right down do it, alcohol is alcohol is alcohol.”

Shapiro is right. Occasionally, The Daily Aztec will run ads for hard alcohol. However, this paper serves the campus community and is aimed at adults. The fact that Seagram is voluntarily airing the ads after nine makes good political and practical sense. Seagram is not targeting children but adults of drinking age.

There is no law banning hard alcohol advertising in the U.S. But Senator John Kerry (D-Mass) wants to institute one. This would be a mistake. A more worthwhile law would be to institute reasonable rules for alcohol advertisers.

Alcohol is alcohol is alcohol. It is unfair that one segment of the industry cannot advertise on television. The goal is to help liquor producers be responsible so that they can help drinkers do the same.