Sri Lanka to sue over beer commercial

Sri Lanka’s government has said it will take legal action against an advertising company after it featured a Unesco World Heritage site in a Japanese beer commercial.

National Heritage Minister Jagath Balasuriya said a Sri Lankan advertising company had been given permission to film the Sigiriya rock fortress for a commercial that the firm said was for an energy drink. But it turned out to be for a Japanese beer.

The Minister Jagath Balasuriya accused the company of misleading officials, he said: “The Sri Lankan company had created the beer commercial for a Japanese beverage company by convincing the archeological department that the commercial was for an energy drink.”

Advertisements on alcohol and tobacco are banned in Sri Lanka and even though the commercial was to be aired in Japan, Balasuriya said that the advertising company violated the agreement and so the government planned to file a lawsuit.

You can see the commercial below.