Television Alcohol Commercials and Under-age Drinking

Abstract

Research in Scotland has shown that television alcohol commercials become increasingly salient and attractive over the years 10 to 14. By the age of 14 children perceive lager and beer commercials as promoting macho-masculinity, sociability and working-class values. The research also showed consistent differences between under-age drinkers and non-drinkers of the same age. Drinkers tend to be more adept at recognizing and identifying brand imagery. This suggests they tend to pay more attention to alcohol commercials. Drinkers also tend to be more appreciative of alcohol commercials. This suggests they tend to get more pleasure out of them. In other words, television alcohol commercials are reinforcing under-age drinking. This paper suggests that although other influences such as increasing age and peer group drinking are probably more important, claims that advertising does not promote or reinforce under-age drinking are questionable.