Alcohol Advertising and Youth (Position Paper)

Alcohol consumption remains a major public health problem among youth. About 81 percent of high school students drink alcohol, and 31 percent of high school students “binge drink” (consume at least five alcoholic beverages in a single sitting) at least once each month.¹

This consumption translates into significant morbidity and mortality. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death among those younger than 25 years old, and over 40 percent of these accidents are alcohol-related.² The second and third leading causes of death in this age group are homicides and suicides, 20 percent to 40 percent of which involve alcohol.³ Overall, alcohol is the third leading cause of death among Americans,⁴ and it represents a financial burden on the United States of about $185 billion each year.⁵

In spite of awareness of these dangers, drinking among 15-year-olds has increased from 27 percent to 36 percent since 1975.¹ This is particularly worrisome in view of the fact that youth who begin drinking at age 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholics than youth who begin drinking at age 21.⁶

A growing body of literature shows that alcohol advertising is an important factor related to alcohol consumption among youth. Research has now established that alcohol advertisements target youth, result in increased alcohol consumption, and add to morbidity and mortality.

America’s youth are overwhelmed with mass media messages. Before graduating high school, students will spend about 18,000 hours in front of the television—more time than they will spend in school^.7 During this time they will watch about 2,000 alcohol commercials on television each year.⁷ Alcohol advertisements reach youth not only through television, but also through other varied media, such as billboards, magazines, and sports stadium signs. In all, youth view 45 percent more beer ads and 27 percent more liquor ads in magazines than do people of legal drinking age.⁸

Although the alcohol industry maintains that its advertising aims only to increase market share and not to encourage underage persons to drink, research suggests otherwise. Alcohol advertisements overwhelmingly connect consumption of alcohol with attributes particularly important to youth, such as friendship, prestige, sex appeal and fun.⁹

The introduction of cartoon or animal characters further attempts to attract young viewers to alcohol. In recent commercials, alcohol advertisers have used frogs, lizards and dogs, which were overwhelmingly admired by youth. In 1996, for example, the Budweiser Frogs were more recognizable to children aged 9-11 than the Power Rangers, Tony the Tiger, or Smokey the Bear.¹⁰ Many alcohol advertisements use other techniques oriented toward youth, such as themes of rebellion and use of adolescent humor.

It is telling that youth report alcohol ads as their favorites,¹¹ especially when so many different products vie for their attention. These compelling advertisements become the new teachers of youth. One study found, in fact, that 8-12 year olds could name more brands of beer than they could U.S. presidents.¹¹ It is not surprising that underage drinkers consume about 25 percent of all alcohol in the United States.¹

Alcohol advertisers target minority groups. Researchers have found that alcohol advertising is disproportionately concentrated in low-income minority neighborhoods.¹² One study found that minority neighborhoods in Chicago have on average seven times the number of billboards advertising alcohol as do Caucasian neighborhoods.¹³ Such concentration of alcohol advertising and availability likely translates into increased problems associated with alcohol use in these communities.¹⁴

Experimental and survey studies suggest a link between recall of alcohol advertisements and increased alcohol use in both underage and adult populations.^15,16 Longitudinal studies bear out the relationship between television, music video and advertisement exposure and subsequent onset of or increase in drinking.^17,18

Statistical and economic analyses also support the relationship between alcohol advertising and consumption. In Sweden in the 1970s, a ban on alcohol advertising resulted in a 20 percent decrease in the consumption of alcohol.¹⁹ Expenditures on alcohol advertising have also been shown to parallel alcohol consumption in the United States.⁷

Although the magnitude of the relationship is still in doubt, two recent reviews of the literature conclude that alcohol advertising increases consumption.^20,21

Studies have also concluded that alcohol advertising leads to increased morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol.¹⁶ One study used econometric data to estimate the specific impact of alcohol advertising on mortality caused by motor vehicle accidents in the United States.²² The author concluded that, if a ban were placed on alcohol advertising on television, motor vehicle accident deaths would decrease by between 2,000 and 10,000 each year. The author further suggested that elimination of the tax benefits associated with alcohol advertising would likely result in a 15 percent decrease in alcohol advertisements, saving an estimated 1,300 lives annually, again due to a decrease in motor vehicle accident deaths alone. This author and others add that counter-advertising campaigns and educational efforts have been shown to diminish the effect of alcohol advertising.²³

Considering the important public health concerns related to alcohol, the prevalence of underage drinking, and the association between alcohol advertising and alcohol use, it would be prudent to increase efforts to curb the negative effects of alcohol advertising. Such efforts should include a multifaceted approach with three primary goals:

More specifically, it is suggested that:

(2004)