Alcohol advertising is the promotion of alcoholic beverages by alcohol producers through a variety of media. Along with nicotine advertising, alcohol advertising is one of the most highly regulated forms of marketing. Some or all forms of alcohol advertising are banned in some countries.
Criticism
Scientific research, health agencies and universities have, over the decades, been able to demonstrate a correlation between alcohol beverage advertising and alcohol consumption, especially among initially non-drinking youth. However, there is an equally significant body of research positing that alcohol advertising does not cause higher consumption and rather merely reflects greater public demand, with many commentators suggesting that effective alcohol campaigns only increase a producer's market share and brand loyalty.J.P. Nelson, "What is Learned from Longitudinal Studies of Advertising and Youth Drinking and Smoking?" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(3), March 2010, pp. 870–926.Frankena, M., Cohen, M., Daniel, T., Ehrlich, L., Greenspun, N., and Kelman, D. Alcohol Advertising, Consumption and Abuse. In: Federal Trade Commission. Recommendations of the Staff of the Federal Trade Commission: Omnibus Petition for Regulation of Unfair and Deceptive Alcoholic Beverage Marketing Practices, Docket No. 209-46. Washington, DC: Federal Trade Commission, 1985.Sanders, James. Alcohol Advertisements Do Not Encourage Alcohol Abuse Among Teens. In: Wekesser, Carol (ed.) Alcoholism. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1994. Pp. 132–135, p. 133.
Target marketing The intended audiences of the alcohol advertising campaigns have changed over the years, with some ads being specifically targeted towards a particular demographic. Some drinks are traditionally seen as male drinks, particularly beers. It is alleged that some brands have been specifically developed to appeal to people that would not normally drink that kind of beverage. These ads may contribute to underage consumption and binge drinking. In 2011 a study found that 22 percent of twelfth graders had binge drunk in the preceding two weeksJohnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2012). Monitoring the Future national results on adolescent drug use: Overview of key findings, 2011 . Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan.; this figure doubled for college students. Studies published in 2014 suggested that the use of alcohol before the brain fully develops can alter or negatively affect its development.
Adolescents One area in which the alcohol industry has faced criticism and tightened legislation is their alleged targeting of young people. Central to this is the development of alcopops – sweet-tasting, brightly coloured drinks with names that may appeal to a younger audience. Academics have found that the main factor influencing youth consumption of alcopops was taste and that young non-drinkers and experimental drinkers were heavily influenced by advertising.Jones, S. C., Reis, S. 2011. Not just the taste: why adolescents drink alcopops. Health Education 112(1), 61-74.
There have been several disputes over whether alcohol advertisements are targeting teens. Much alcohol advertising appears to portray drinking as fun and exciting. Alcohol advertisements can be seen in virtually any medium and are widely found on the internet. Alcohol promoters are especially known for sponsoring sporting events, concerts and magazines. Most vendors' websites are nominally restricted to users 21 or older, but the only requirement is simply to enter a birth date. A study by the American Journal of Public Health concluded that Boston train passengers between the ages of 11 and 18 saw an alcohol-related advertisement every day. Similar studies support the allegation that consumption of alcohol by underage drinkers correlates with their exposure to alcohol ads. Many cities have recognized the effect of alcohol-related ads on adolescents, and some have banned these advertisements on public transportation.
Peter Anderson and his colleagues performed longitudinal studies and concluded that "alcohol advertising and promotion increases the likelihood that adolescents will start to use alcohol, and to drink more if they are already using alcohol". Elizabeth D. Waiters, Andrew J. Treno and Joel W. Grube's discussions with a sample of youth aged 9–15 support this claim. They found that these youth saw the purpose of beer commercials is to urge people to buy the product based not only on its quality, but also on "its relationship to sexual attractiveness". They see that "attractive young adults drink beer to personally rewarding ends" and the "youth-oriented music" and are influenced to drink alcohol.
The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reports the rates of binge alcohol use in 2008 were 1.5 percent among youths 12 or 13 years old, 6.9 percent among those 14 or 15 years old, 17.2 percent for 16- and 17-year-olds, and 33.7 percent among those aged 18 to 20. In 2009, the rates for each group of underage alcohol usage increased by one-quarter.
According to the 2001 College Alcohol Study (CAS), continuous alcohol promotions and advertisements, including lowering prices on certain types of alcohol on a college campus, have increased the percentage of alcohol consumption of that college community. Alcohol advertising on college campuses has also been shown to increase binge drinking among students. However, it is concluded that the consistency of these special promotions and ads could also be useful in reducing binge drinking and other drinking-related problems on campus (Kuo, 2000, Wechsler 2000, Greenberg 2000, Lee 2000). Results from one study indicate that beer advertisements are a significant predictor of an adolescent's knowledge, preference and loyalty for beer brands, as well as their current drinking behavior and intentions to drink (Gentile, 2001). Television advertising changes attitudes about drinking. Young people report more positive feelings about drinking and their own likelihood to drink after viewing alcohol ads (Austin, 1994; Grube, 1994). The alcohol industry spends $2 billion per year on all media advertising (Strasburger, 1999). The beer brewing industry itself spent more than $770 million on television ads and $15 million on radio ads in 2000 (Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2002).
Research clearly indicates that, in addition to parents and peers, alcohol advertising and marketing significantly affect young people's decisions to drink (The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth [CAMY]).
"While many factors may influence an underage person's drinking decisions, including among other things parents, peers and the media, there is reason to believe that advertising also plays a role" (Federal Trade Commission, Self-Regulation in the Alcohol Industry, 1999).
Parents and peers substantially affect youth decisions to drink. However, research clearly indicates that alcohol advertising and marketing also have a significant effect by influencing youth and adult expectations and attitudes, and by helping to create an environment that promotes underage drinking.
Even though people these days must put themselves into that situation, David H. Jernigan (2005: 314) underlines how "more than fifteen percent of twelve-year-olds will be likely to create the situation where youth are more likely per capita to see the magazine than adults over twenty-one years, the legal drinking age in the United States".
Malt liquor
The target market for malt liquor in the United States has been urban African American and Hispanic populations. Advertisers use themes of power and sexual dominance to appeal to customers. Critics have objected to ads targeting this segment of the population, which has disproportionately high rates of alcohol-related illness and poor access to medical care.
Advertising around the world The World Health Organization (WHO) has directed that the advertising and promotion of alcohol needs to be controlled. In September 2005, the WHO Euro Region adopted a Framework for Alcohol Policy for the Region. This has five ethical principles which include the assertion that "All children and adolescents have the right to grow up in an environment protected from the negative consequences of alcohol consumption and, to the extent possible, from the promotion of alcoholic beverages".
Cross-border television advertising within the European Union was previously regulated by the 1989 Television without Frontiers Directive, a harmonisation measure designed to remove barriers to international trade as part of the common market. Article 15 of this Directive dictates that alcohol advertising on television "shall comply with the following criteria:
This article on alcohol advertising restrictions is implemented in each EU country largely through the self-regulatory bodies dealing with advertising.
The EU law 'TV without Frontiers' Directive has subsequently been expanded to cover new media formats such as digital television. Now called the 'Audiovisual Media Services Directive', the provisions regarding restrictions on alcohol advertising are laid out in Article 22 and are identical to the above.
Some countries, such as France, Norway, Russia, Ukraine,Tobacco, alcohol advertising bans take effect in printed media, Kyiv Post (1 January 2010) Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Kazakhstan have banned all alcohol advertising on television and billboard.
United States
In the United States, spirits advertising has self-regulatory bodies that create standards for the ethical advertising of alcohol. The special concern is where advertising is placed.
Currently, the standard is that alcohol advertisements can only be placed in media where 71.6% of the audience is over the legal drinking age. Alcohol advertising's creative messages should not be designed to appeal to people under the age of 21, for example, using cartoon characters as spokespeople is discouraged. Advertising cannot promote brands based on alcohol content or its effects. Advertising must not encourage irresponsible drinking. Another issue in media placement is whether media vendors will accept alcohol advertising. The decision to accept an individual ad or a category of advertising is always at the discretion of the owner or publisher of a media outlet.
In 1991, U.S. Surgeon General Antonia Novello criticized alcoholic beverage companies for "unabashedly targeting teenagers" with "sexual imagery, cartoons, and rock and rap music" in television and print ads. In Rubin v. Coors Brewing Co. (1995), the Court unanimously struck down a federal regulation prohibiting the display of alcohol content on beer labels. The Court provided even more protection to alcohol advertising and amplified the Central Hudson test in 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. Rhode Island (1996). The Federal Trade Commission conducted an investigation in 2002 into possible targeting to those under the age of 21. However, this investigation and those of some scholars have not found evidence of such targeting.(FTC Says Alcohol Type Not Aimed at Minors. Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2002;Nelson, Jon P. Alcohol advertising in magazines: Do beer, wine, and spirits ads target youth? Contemporary Economic Policy, July 2006, pp. 357-69). Concerns exist that irresponsible advertising practices or "pushing the envelope" with audience composition may lead to permanent legislation governing the advertising of beverage alcohol."Code". Discus.org.
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