Noah Vinter
Alcohol is the number one killer of people aged 18 to 45 in the US, causing 140,000 deaths per year. Alcohol is also the third leading cause of preventable death in the US, with more than 15 million Americans struggling with alcohol use disorder. Despite this, alcohol advertising is prevalent across a range of media formats, including TV, radio, print, digital, and outdoor advertisements. Research has found that young people are routinely exposed to alcohol advertising, with one study showing that those aged 11 to 14 saw an average of three alcohol ads per day, amounting to over a thousand per year. This paragraph will explore the issue of how many alcohol-related commercials teens see each year and the impact this has on their drinking behaviours.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Average number of alcohol ads seen by 11 to 14-year-olds per day | 3 |
| Average number of alcohol ads seen by 11 to 14-year-olds per year | 1000+ |
| Percentage of alcohol radio ads placed on stations with music formats that attract a disproportionately large audience of 12 to 20-year-olds | 73% |
| Number of people under 21 who die from alcohol-related deaths each year | 4358 or 88,000 |
| Number of people under 21 who visit the emergency room for alcohol-related injuries each year | 188,000 or 200,000 |
| Youth exposure to alcohol marketing | An important contributor to underage drinking |
| Youth-oriented genres in alcohol marketing | Magic, fantasy, humor, reward appeals, and risk-related content |
| Likelihood of experimentation with alcohol among 7 to 12-year-olds who like alcohol ads | Positive |
| Likelihood of 12.5-year-old seventh graders exposed to alcohol ads on popular shows to be lost to follow-up | 1.28 times |
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol ads on social media
Alcohol advertising on social media is a common phenomenon, with young people being exposed to a large number of alcohol advertisements. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram have provided alcohol companies with new and cheaper ways to promote alcohol to young people. These platforms have become popular among younger generations, with Instagram, for instance, having 11.4 million members who are 17 or younger.
While these platforms have policies and guidelines in place to prevent alcohol advertising from targeting minors, these rules are not always enforced. For instance, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, alcohol companies regularly break the rules with rarely any penalties or consequences. The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) discovered dozens of breaches to the advertising code on the Facebook pages of popular alcohol brands, including content that contained images of under 25-year-olds drinking and celebrated binge drinking.
The voluntary Advertising Code, which has four key standards of responsible alcohol promotion, is often flouted by alcohol companies. Content that encourages heavy or excessive drinking, promotes alcohol as a mood enhancer or contributor to success, or targets minors is prohibited. However, these types of advertisements are still prevalent and easily accessible to young people.
The effects of alcohol advertising on social media can be detrimental to young people. Research has shown that alcohol advertising has been linked to young people starting to drink at earlier ages and to binge drinking. Alcohol is a significant factor in the deaths of people younger than 21, with thousands of alcohol-related deaths and injuries occurring each year. Young people who drink alcohol are also more likely to be involved in physical and sexual assaults and have trouble in school or with the law.
Despite the challenges, some organizations are working to counteract the influence of alcohol advertising. For example, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) offers educational programs to provide students with the knowledge and tools to resist alcohol and other drugs. Additionally, individuals can take action by changing advertising settings or reporting inappropriate content on social media platforms.
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Alcohol radio ads
In the United States, for example, there are no federal regulations specifically governing beer, wine, or liquor radio advertising. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not have specific rules for alcoholic beverage advertising beyond those that apply to all advertising, such as the requirement for accurate sponsorship identification. However, individual states and localities may have their own restrictions on alcohol advertising, and radio stations must remain aware of and comply with these laws.
Despite the lack of specific FCC regulations, some restraint by radio stations in running alcoholic beverage advertisements is advisable. Public interest groups may voice their objections to excessive alcohol advertising during license renewal processes, particularly when ads are targeted towards underage audiences or vulnerable populations.
To address concerns about youth exposure to alcohol advertising, certain guidelines have been established for radio ads. These guidelines include restrictions on scheduling, content, style, and tone. Ads for alcoholic drinks must not be directed at minors, use scenarios that appeal to them, or be scheduled during programmes targeted at younger audiences. Voiceovers must sound like they are at least 25 years old, and references to excessive drinking or promotions that encourage it are not allowed.
In other countries, the regulations and restrictions on alcohol radio ads vary. For instance, in Malaysia, advertising alcohol on the radio was outlawed in 1995. In Sweden, advertising wine and beer on the radio is not permitted, while in Australia, alcoholic beverage ads are allowed during specific time slots and cannot be targeted at children.
While regulations aim to mitigate the potential negative impact of alcohol radio ads, the influence of these advertisements on youth cannot be overlooked. Research indicates that alcohol advertising and marketing significantly affect youth decisions to drink, and exposure to alcohol ads has been linked to drinking initiation, frequency, and amount consumed.
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Alcohol ads targeted at minority youth
Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and it is a significant factor in the deaths of people under 21. It is linked to driving fatalities, homicides, alcohol overdoses, falls, burns, drownings, and suicides. Underage drinking also increases the risk of physical and sexual assault, and can cause problems in school and with the law.
Alcohol companies have vowed to self-regulate and keep their advertisements away from children. However, researchers have found that alcohol advertisers routinely violate these codes. Alcohol ads can be found readily in grocery stores, sports stadiums, online, on the radio, on streaming music apps, in and between TV shows, and elsewhere. Young people ages 11 to 14 see an average of three alcohol ads per day, which works out to more than a thousand per year. African American and Hispanic youth are exposed to more ads than white youth, and girls see 30% more ads than boys.
Youth exposure to alcohol marketing has been shown to be a significant contributor to the problem of underage drinking. Longitudinal studies have found positive associations between youth exposure to alcohol advertisements and drinking initiation, frequency, and amount consumed. Youth-oriented genres capture the use of magic or fantasy, which are associated by younger teens with kid-focused entertainment, as well as humor, which is rated highly by all teens. Reward appeals promise positive life outcomes from product use, and youth rate these appeals favorably.
Research has shown that alcohol availability and advertising are disproportionately concentrated in racial/ethnic minority communities. A survey of billboards in St. Louis found twice as many billboards in African-American neighborhoods compared to white neighborhoods. Almost 60% of the billboards in African-American neighborhoods advertised either tobacco or alcohol. In a study of 50 Chicago neighborhoods, there was an average of 7 alcohol billboards in white neighborhoods and 38 in minority neighborhoods. Racial and ethnic groups have historically organized grassroots anti-alcohol movements to prevent alcohol-related problems in their communities.
To reduce youth exposure to alcohol ads, prevention advocates can push for local restrictions on alcohol advertisements in or near areas that youth frequent, such as schools, malls, and libraries. Colleges and universities can also provide prevention and treatment services to support students' health and reduce the risks associated with alcohol experimentation.
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Alcohol ads on TV
Alcohol is the number one killer of people aged 18 to 45 in the US, causing around 140,000 deaths per year. It is also the leading cause of preventable death in people under 21, with around 5,000 deaths per year in this age group. Alcohol is an addictive substance, and it is particularly harmful to the developing brains of teenagers. Despite this, alcohol advertising is prevalent on TV, radio, and social media platforms, with young people being routinely exposed to alcohol ads.
A study by The RAND Corporation found that young people aged 11 to 14 saw an average of three alcohol ads per day, amounting to over a thousand per year. This exposure to alcohol advertising has been linked to an increased likelihood of underage drinking and alcohol-related problems. Several longitudinal studies have found positive associations between youth exposure to alcohol advertisements and drinking initiation, frequency of drinking, and the amount consumed. Furthermore, youth-oriented themes and reward appeals in alcohol ads capture young people's interest and contribute to their susceptibility to the messages conveyed in these commercials.
The content of alcohol advertisements has been found to be harmful to children and adolescents. Studies have shown that the desirability of characters, identification with them, and the production and content quality of ads are related to positive alcohol expectancies and a higher alcohol-behaviour index in young people. Additionally, alcohol companies have been found to target specific groups, with Black and Hispanic youth, as well as girls, being exposed to more ads than their white or male counterparts.
While there are regulations in place to limit alcohol ads to youth, these are often ineffective or violated. For example, alcohol brands have been found to send advertisements directly to underage profiles on social media platforms. The current self-regulatory systems that govern alcohol marketing practices have been criticised for not adequately protecting vulnerable populations. As a result, organisations like Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) have emerged to offer educational programs that aim to counteract the influence of alcohol advertising on young people.
To address the issue of alcohol advertising targeting youth, some have suggested increasing taxes on alcohol to fund counter-marketing campaigns and restricting the hours of sale. By learning from successful tobacco counter-marketing campaigns, it may be possible to shift perceptions and reduce the appeal of alcohol to young people. Additionally, initiatives like alcohol-free citywide celebrations can provide alternatives to the association between alcohol and socialisation.
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Alcohol ads in sports
Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and it is a significant factor in the deaths of people under 21. Alcohol use among young people can lead to numerous negative consequences, including alcohol-related deaths, injuries, and an increased risk of physical and sexual assault. It is, therefore, concerning that alcohol advertising is prevalent in sports, a domain that attracts a large youth audience.
Alcohol companies invest heavily in sports sponsorships and advertising during sports broadcasts to promote their products. In 2020, the alcohol industry spent more than $600 million on sports sponsorships worldwide, making it one of the biggest industrial spenders on sports advertising. A 2022 study from Australia found that the top ten alcohol companies placed 10,660 alcohol ads during sports broadcasts over a 12-month period, with nearly half of these ads aired during children's viewing times. This aggressive investment in sports marketing aims to drive consumption and profits by associating their products with the positive emotions and attributes of elite athletic performances.
Research has consistently shown a positive association between exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship and increased alcohol consumption. Two studies found that indirect exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship was linked to higher drinking levels among schoolchildren, while five studies reported a positive association between direct alcohol sports sponsorship and hazardous drinking among adult sportspeople. These findings are particularly concerning given that participation in sports is already associated with higher alcohol consumption, and sports-related stress and exposure to alcohol ads during events can further exacerbate this trend.
The prevalence of alcohol advertising in sports has led to concerns about its impact on harmful drinking among children and young people. Some countries, such as France and Norway, have banned alcohol sports sponsorship, while others like the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand have expressed intentions to do so. However, in countries like Australia, where there are strong financial and cultural ties between alcohol and sport, policy action to restrict alcohol sports sponsorship is unlikely without strong public support.
While the alcohol industry asserts that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate a direct link between advertising and underage drinking, researchers have found that alcohol advertisers routinely violate codes meant to protect vulnerable populations. Youth exposure to alcohol marketing has been identified as a significant contributor to the problem of underage drinking. To address this issue, organizations like Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) offer educational programs to provide students with the knowledge and tools to resist alcohol. Additionally, counter-advertising that exposes the harms of alcohol sponsorship has been found to increase support for policies restricting sports-related alcohol marketing.
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Frequently asked questions
On average, young people between the ages of 11 and 14 see around 1000 alcohol ads per year, which is roughly 3 ads per day.
Exposure to alcohol advertising has been shown to increase the likelihood of underage drinking and alcohol-related problems. Studies have found positive associations between youth exposure to alcohol advertisements and drinking initiation, frequency of drinking, and the amount of alcohol consumed.
Yes, research has found that alcohol advertising disproportionately targets certain groups. For example, Black and Hispanic youth are exposed to more ads than white youth, and girls see 30% more ads than boys.
To reduce the influence of alcohol advertising on teens, effective counter-marketing campaigns can be implemented, similar to those used for tobacco products. Increasing taxes on alcohol and using the revenue to fund counter-marketing efforts can also help reduce the exposure and appeal of alcohol advertising to teens.
