Unhealthy promotion: Are alcohol ads targeting kids?

Television advertising is driven by many factors, most of all by data. Marketers for both television ad space and the products being sold are well informed by enviously detailed data on the demographics of viewers, the likelihood that they'll respond to marketing messages, and performance of past campaigns. It's the kind of data that public health professionals trying to raise awareness about HIV, for example, can only dream about. Little is left to chance, and by correlation, it's unlikely that the link between an ad campaign and increases in product sales are mediated by dumb-luck or coincidence.

So what is driving the increase in underage drinking, especially binge drinking and consumption of spirits and alcopops (sweet, typically fruity flavored malt beverages) among girls? Could it be the result of industry advertising reaching under-aged drinkers, either by choice or happenstance? It appears likely.

A new RAND study published in the American Journal of Public Health analyzed all of over 600,000 alcohol industry advertisements placed on national cable networks from 2001 to 2006. In time slots where the under-aged viewership was 30% or less, researchers found that each 1% increase in adolescent viewers was associated with a 7% increase in beer ads, 15% increase in spirit ads, and 22% increase in ads for alcopops. Larger female viewership was associated with more spirit and alcopop advertising. The wine industry, however, appears to take a different marketing strategy, reducing ad incidence by 8% for each percentage point increase in underage viewers.

What's so magical about the 30% number? At the end of 2003, the liquor industry adopted voluntary guidelines to limit advertising during time periods were >30% of viewership were underage. How did the industry respond? The RAND researchers found that the number of ads in time slots actually increased after the adoption of those guidelines: 16% for beer and a whopping 1658% for spirits. In a data-driven industry well aware of ad-campaign outcomes, these figures don't seem coincidental.

Alcohol consumption among minors has numerous health consequences. Problems with addiction; risk taking, including drunk driving and unwise sexual choices; and chronic disease such as depression are all encouraged by drinking, especially bingeing, among youth. Not that legal adults necessarily make better choices, but so long as the law forbids drinking by minors, the alcohol beverage industry should avoid marketing to youngsters. The tobacco industry has been hammered on for decades because of their use of tactics aimed at youngsters, such as the use of cartoon mascots. I enjoy my beer and wine as much as the next adult, but as a public health professional, a parent, and law abiding citizen, I find it exceedingly unappetizing that buzz-pushers are preying on our kids. Come on guys, grow up.