Televised Alcohol Advertisements Research Articles

Estimated televised alcohol advertising exposure in the past year and associations with past 30-day drinking behavior among American adults: results from a secondary analysis of large-scale advertising and survey data.

To estimate the volume of past-year televised alcohol advertising exposure by product category and demographic group among adults living in the United States and test associations between estimated alcohol advertising exposure and past 30-day drinking behavior. Secondary analysis of data from two national-level US data sets: Kantar data on appearances of televised alcohol advertisements and data from the Simmons National Consumer Survey (NCS), a large national mail survey on television viewing patterns and consumer behavior. United States. A total of 54 671 adults, aged 21years and older, who were randomly selected to participate in the Simmons NCS. Estimated exposure to televised advertisements for beer, wine and spirits, self-reported alcohol use in the past year and number of drinks consumed in the past 30days. The average respondent was exposed to an estimated 576 [95% confidence interval (CI)=570-582] televised alcohol advertisements in the year preceding their survey. Exposure was higher among males versus females and African Americans versus whites. A 1% increase in the estimated volume of advertisement exposure was associated with a 0.11 (95% CI=0.08-0.13) percentage point increase in the odds of having at least one drink in the last 30days and, among past 30-day drinkers, a 0.05 (95% CI=0.04-0.07) per cent increase in the number of alcoholic drinks consumed. Associations were consistent across product categories and demographics. There appears to be a small but consistent positive association between alcohol advertising exposure and drinking behavior among American adults.

Do marketing and alcohol treatment/public health experts think televised alcohol advertisements abide by regulatory guidelines?

Televised alcohol advertisements in the United Kingdom must abide by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice Code, which provides guidelines concerning advertisements not implying, condoning or encouraging immoderate, irresponsible or antisocial drinking. Previously, 75 per cent of 373 general public respondents were shown one of seven advertisements rated a breach of at least one guideline. This study assessed whether experts in marketing (n = 25) and alcohol treatment/public health (n = 25) perceived the same seven television alcohol advertisements as complying with the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice Code. Overall, 83 per cent of advertisements were rated as breaching at least one guideline. This provides further proof that self-regulatory alcohol guidelines are not fit for purpose.

Alcohol brand use of youth-appealing advertising and consumption by youth and adults.

BackgroundYouth exposure to alcohol marketing has been shown to be an important contributor to the problem of underage drinking in the U.S. More work is needed on identifying and minimizing content with particular appeal to youth.Design and MethodsWe tested the association between the youth-appeal of marketing content of televised alcohol advertisements and the brand-specific alcohol consumption of both underage youth and adults. We used existing data from three sources: a brand-specific alcohol consumption survey among underage youth (N=1032), a brand-specific alcohol consumption survey among adults (N ~13,000), and an analysis of content appealing to youth (CAY) in a sample of televised alcohol advertisements (n=96) aired during the youth survey. The association between CAY scores for the 96 alcohol ads and youth (age 13-20) versus adult (age 21+) consumption of those ads’ brands was tested through bivariate and multivariate models.ResultsBrand CAY scores were (a) positively associated with brand-specific youth consumption after controlling for adult brand consumption; (b) positively associated with a ratio of youth-toadult brand-specific consumption; and (c) not associated with adult brand consumption.ConclusionsAlcohol brands with youth-appealing advertising are consumed more often by youth than adults, indicating that these ads may be more persuasive to relatively younger audiences, and that youth are not simply mirroring adult consumption patterns in their choice of brands. Future research should consider the content of alcohol advertising when testing marketing effects on youth drinking, and surveillance efforts might focus on brands popular among youth.Significance for public healthYouth are overexposed to alcohol advertising. This contributes to youth having positive expectations of drinking, initiating drinking, and drinking more in quantity and frequency. The alcohol industry’s self-regulatory guidelines stipulate that marketing content cannot be primarily attractive to youth versus adults. But we do not yet have a sound scientific tool to assess what would be primarily attractive to youth. This manuscript uses a new tool, the CAY index, and two large, nationally representative datasets of youth and adult drinking patterns and shows that alcohol brands’ use of such content in their advertisements is not associated with adult brand consumption but is positively associated with youth brand consumption over and above the influence of adult brand preferences. This is critical evidence for supporting revised industry guidelines in order to protect youth from the effect of advertising on underage drinking.

Adolescents' exposure to paid alcohol advertising on television and their alcohol use: exploring associations during a 13-year period.

To determine (i) whether Australian adolescents' exposure to television alcohol advertisements changed between 1999 and 2011 and (ii) examine the association between television alcohol advertising and adolescent drinking behaviours. Cross-sectional surveys conducted every 3 years between 1999 and 2011. Analyses examined associations between advertising exposures and reported drinking. Five Australian major cities. Students aged 12-17years participating in a triennial nationally representative school-based survey residing in the television advertising markets associated with the major cities (sample size range per survey: 12 644-16 004). Outcome measures were: drinking in the past month, past week and past-week risky drinking (5+ drinks on a day). The key predictor variable was past-month adolescent-directed alcohol advertising Targeted Rating Points (TRPs, a measure of television advertising exposure). Control measures included student-level characteristics, government alcohol-control advertising TRPs, road safety (drink-driving) TRPs and time of survey. Average monthly adolescent alcohol TRPs increased between 1999 (mean=2371) to 2005 (mean=2679) (P<0.01) then decreased between 2005 and 2011: (mean=880) (P<0.01). Multi-level logistic regression analyses that adjusted for survey timing, student level factors and alcohol-control advertising variables showed a significant association between past-month alcohol TRPs and past-month drinking [odds ratio (OR)=1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.07-1.15), past-week drinking (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.06-1.14) and past-week risky drinking (OR=1.15, 95% CI=1.09-1.22). Past-week risky drinking was associated inversely with road safety TRPs (OR=0.69, 95% CI=0.49-0.98). While Australian adolescents' exposure to alcohol advertising on television reduced between 1999 and 2011, higher levels of past-month television alcohol advertising were associated with an increased likelihood of adolescents' drinking. The reduction in television alcohol advertising in Australia in the late 2000s may have played a part in reducing adolescents' drinking prevalence.

Awareness of alcohol advertisements and perceived influence on alcohol consumption: a qualitative study of Nigerian university students

Despite the growing alcohol marketing activities of the transnational alcohol industries in Nigeria, little research has focussed on their effects on Nigerian youths. This study explores students’ awareness of electronic and outdoor alcohol advertisement on campus and around students’ off-campus residential and leisure sites, and the extent to which they perceive it to affect their drinking. Thirty-one in-depth interviews were conducted with male and female undergraduate students (aged 19-23 years) from a south-eastern Nigerian university. Alcohol advertisements on television, posters, billboards and the branded fences of bars are common on campus and around students’ off-campus residential and leisure spaces. While students were exposed to television alcohol advertisements aired during football games, movies and news hours, they regularly saw point-of-sale and other outdoor advertisements on and around the campus. Students demonstrated sophisticated levels of awareness of alcohol advertisements, to the extent that they ‘identified’ brand names, vividly described the advertising messages they had seen and named specific bars, restaurants and other sites where they had seen alcohol advertisements regularly. While alcohol advertisement influenced men to consume new products, it also affected their brand preference on a permanent basis. Although alcohol advertisements appear not to have influenced the women, it is argued that this was because they were exposed to the advertisements of alcoholic brands that are categorised as ‘men’s alcohol’ in Nigeria. The results suggest that while effective monitoring of electronic and outdoor advertisements should be reinforced, policymakers may consider replacing self-regulation with evidence-based alcohol control regulatory measures in Nigeria.

Do UK television alcohol advertisements abide by the code of broadcast advertising rules regarding the portrayal of alcohol?

The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which members of the UK general public perceive television alcohol advertisements to comply with the regulatory code governing these: the Advertising Standards Authority Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP Code). The Code provides a general principle and 16 rules to prevent such adverts implying, condoning or encouraging immoderate, irresponsible or anti-social drinking. Quota sample of 373 adults, representative of the UK population aged 18-74 years in terms of age and gender, were recruited at a train station. Participants were shown one of seven advertisements that had been broadcast in the previous month on the two leading commercial television channels, and then completed a questionnaire with 40 statements representing the BCAP Code rules. Overall, 75% of the participants rated the advertisements as breaching at least one rule from the BCAP Code. Breaches were observed for all the seven advertisements, ranging from 49 to 91% non-compliant. Rules regarding alcohol being presented as contributing to popularity or confidence, and implying that alcohol is capable of changing mood, physical condition, behaviour, or as nourishment, were seen as being breached by over 50% of participants. A clear majority of the UK general public perceive alcohol advertisements to breach the BCAP Code, suggesting that the current regulatory system for UK television alcohol advertisements is inadequate.

Receptivity to Television Fast-Food Restaurant Marketing and Obesity Among U.S. Youth

Advertisement of fast food on TV may contribute to youth obesity. The goal of the study was to use cued recall to determine whether TV fast-food advertising is associated with youth obesity. A national sample of 2541 U.S. youth, aged 15-23 years, were surveyed in 2010-2011; data were analyzed in 2012. Respondents viewed a random subset of 20 advertisement frames (with brand names removed) selected from national TV fast-food restaurant advertisements (n=535) aired in the previous year. Respondents were asked if they had seen the advertisement, if they liked it, and if they could name the brand. A TV fast-food advertising receptivity score (a measure of exposure and response) was assigned; a 1-point increase was equivalent to affirmative responses to all three queries for two separate advertisements. Adjusted odds of obesity (based on self-reported height and weight), given higher TV fast-food advertising receptivity, are reported. The prevalence of overweight and obesity, weighted to the U.S. population, was 20% and 16%, respectively. Obesity, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, fast-food restaurant visit frequency, weekday TV time, and TV alcohol advertising receptivity were associated with higher TV fast-food advertising receptivity (median=3.3 [interquartile range: 2.2-4.2]). Only household income, TV time, and TV fast-food advertising receptivity retained multivariate associations with obesity. For every 1-point increase in TV fast-food advertising receptivity score, the odds of obesity increased by 19% (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.01, 1.40). There was no association between receptivity to televised alcohol advertisements or fast-food restaurant visit frequency and obesity. Using a cued-recall assessment, TV fast-food advertising receptivity was found to be associated with youth obesity.

Alcohol Advertising: What Makes It Attractive to Youth?

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the affective responses of youth toward specific elements featured in television alcohol advertisements (i.e., people character, animal character, music, story, and humor). It also examines the associations between advertising likeability and its potential influence. Respondents were 253 children and adolescents in California (47% male; aged 10–17). Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires in group settings. Respondents were shown a stimulus tape containing television advertisements for beer and soft drinks. The tape was stopped at the end of each advertisement to allow respondents to answer questions about that advertisement before viewing the next. Perceived likeability of beer advertisements is a function of the positive affective responses evoked by the specific elements featured in the advertisements. Liking of specific elements featured in beer advertisements significantly contributed to the overall likeability of these advertisements and subsequently to advertising effectiveness indicated by purchase intent of product and brand promoted by these advertisements. Advertisements that focus primarily on product qualities or send a message of legal drinking age were rated less favorably and evoked less desire to purchase the product. Implications for countering the effects of alcohol advertising on young people are discussed.

Alcohol Advertising and Youth: A Focus-Group Analysis of What Young People Find Appealing in Alcohol Advertising

In an effort to ascertain how youths interpret, understand and respond to the themes and images portrayed in television alcohol advertisements, focus-group discussions were conducted with students ages 9–15 in a Northern California community. These discussions revealed that students like lifestyle and image-oriented elements of television beer commercials that are delivered with humor and youth-oriented music and/or characters. Conversely, they dislike product-oriented elements of alcohol commercials. Students identified the main message of television beer commercials as an exhortation to purchase the product based on its quality and its relationship to sexual attractiveness. Participants indicated that beer commercials imply that attractive young adults drink beer to personally rewarding ends. These findings suggest that television beer commercials may need to focus less on youthful lifestyle images and more on the product itself in order to appeal less to young people.

A qualitative investigation of responses to televised alcohol advertisements

February 1992 saw the introduction of new rules governing alcohol advertising in New Zealand. Prior to this date there had been limited alcohol advertising on television, with only sponsorship and corporate advertising permitted (Casswell et al., 1989). The new rules allowed for alcohol brand advertising to be shown after 9 p.m., and this resulted in a fourfold increase in televised alcohol advertising in the two-year period between 1991 and 1993 (Casswell et al., 1994). The changes were introduced with the stipulation that they would be reviewed after two years. To assist in this review process, a series of research projects was undertaken, which included complementary qualitative and quantitative studies with similar age groups, plus content analyses. The qualitative research was undertaken to understand more fully how individuals of different ages and ethnic groups were responding to televised alcohol advertisements in this environment of greatly increased exposure to such advertisements. The effects of alcohol advertising are difficult to assess, and therefore it is appropriate to use a range of methodologies to examine the topic. Methodologies used by other researchers have included econometric analyses (Lee and Tremblay, 1992; Grabowski, 1976; McGuiness, 1980; Duffy, 1987, 1991; Franke and Wilcox, 1987; Selvanathan, 1989), comparing countries with and without alcohol advertising bans (Saffer, 1991), examining the effect of short-term temporary bans (Smart and Cutler, 1976; Ogborne and Smart, 1980), crosssectional surveys (Strickland, 1982, 1983; Atkin et al., 1984; Atkin and Block, 1984), one longitudinal study (Connolly et al., 1994), experimental studies (Brown, 1978; McCarty and Ewing, 1983; Kohn et al., 1984; Kohn and Smart, 1984, 1987; Sobell et al., 1986; Wilks et al., 1992), and content analyses (Finn and Strickland, 1982; Atkin, 1987). Few studies have been reported that have qualitatively examined responses to televised alcohol advertisements. One exception was a qualitative study in Scotland (Aitken et al., 1988a; Aitken, 1989), which, as with the current study, was undertaken in association with a quantitative study (Aitken et al., 1988b). They focused on youngsters 10-16 years old and noted that at that time there had been few accounts of the child's view of alcohol advertising. They found that by the age of 14, children perceived lager and beer commercials as promoting macho-masculinity, sociability, and working-class values. These findings were also consistent with research they had done on children's perceptions of the imagery in cigarette advertisements (Aitken et al., 1985). Previous alcohol advertising research in New Zealand had been undertaken following the introduction of the corporate and sponsorship advertising in 1987. This research involved surveys of boys 9-14 years old (Wyllie et al., 1989) and of men 15-30 years old (Wyllie et al., 1991). The surveys included a number of open-ended questions that allowed the respondents to describe their response to each of two advertisements in their own words. This advertising was found to be popular with the boys and young men, and, despite ostensibly not advertising beer, it did have strong association with the promotion of beer. This advertising was perceived to be communicating a tough, active, outdoors type of imagery. One of the advertisements was set in pioneering times and featured strong, rugged men who managed to stop a wagon from falling off a narrow bridge. The other featured rugby players in training, including close-up shots of tackles. A concern with this type of imagery in sports sponsorship advertising was cited as part of the motivation for a policy change, in the belief that the inclusion of brand advertising would result in less emphasis on this type of macho masculinity. In attempting to understand the possible effects of alcohol advertising, it is useful to consider the theoretical perspectives that attempt to explain the ways in which advertising might have an influence. …

Does alcohol advertising affect overall consumption? A review of empirical studies.

This article reviews the empirical warrant for the assertion that alcohol advertising affects overall alcohol consumption. Econometric, exposure, experimental studies and advertising bans are examined. The evidence indicates that advertising bans do not reduce alcohol sales, total advertising expenditures have no reliable correlation with sales of alcoholic beverages, and that experimental studies typically show no effect of advertising on actual consumption. However, one set of studies does show that drinkers are exposed to more television alcohol advertisements, without making the causal connection clear. In general, the evidence indicates little impact of alcohol advertising on alcohol sales or drinking. However, some results are suggestive and there is a need for more sophisticated econometric, exposure and experimental studies that take into account a wider range of variables.

SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING OF ALCOHOL ON TELEVISION

ABSTRACTControversy has existed for many years over the effects of alcohol beverage advertising on alcohol consumption. Little research has been carried out on the effects of subliminal advertising and consumer behaviour. It may be possible that some of the messages presented in televised alcohol advertisements could act as subliminal stimuli. The positioning of alcohol beverage advertisements during or after alcohol incidences in televised programmes may have an interactive effect. The young because of the time spent watching television are a particularly vulnerable group.