Speights falls victim to uni advertising ban

Southern beer brand Speight's will no longer sponsor Otago University's orientation week after the university banned alcohol advertising and sponsorship.

The on-campus ban was endorsed by the university council last year as a move against the binge-drinking culture and excessive drinking by some university students, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Orientation week activities start on February 21.

Neither Lion Nathan nor the students association would say how much the sponsorship deal was worth.

Overall, money from sponsors was "relatively minor" compared with student membership fees, said students association general manager Stephen Alexander.

When the ban was announced last year, the brewer expressed surprise and disappointment the university had not consulted it first.

Lion Nathan corporate affairs director Liz Read said the brewery had agreed with the students association the sponsorship involvement "could not continue in the way it had" and was discussing how the relationship could continue off-campus.

- NZPA