NCJ Number
160644
Date Published
1994
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Alcohol advertisements portray drinking as glamorous and entertaining, as well as a necessity of life; this portrayal encourages Americans to abuse alcohol and contributes to alcoholism.
Abstract
Even though juveniles cannot legally purchase alcoholic beverages, alcohol advertisers target under-age drinkers. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has conducted two surveys of juveniles to learn more about the influence of alcohol advertising on youth. In one survey of fourth and fifth graders in metropolitan Washington, D.C., the survey found that the average 8- to 12-year-old child could name 5.2 alcoholic beverages, but only 4.8 presidents. In 1989 another survey focused on teenagers, asking them to name their favorite TV ads. Boys cited beer ads more often than any other type of ad as their favorite. The 40 percent of the boys who named one or more beer ads as their favorite put beer ahead of ads for fast foods, cars, running shoes, and even soft drinks. Both alcohol and tobacco industries selectively target certain segments of the population with various products. Malt liquors are clearly targeted at minorities. African-Americans account for only about 10 percent of sales of regular beer, but about 30 percent of sales of malt liquor. The Coalition on Alcohol Advertising and Family Education recommends equivalent time for health and safety messages to balance broadcast and cable advertisements of alcoholic beverages, appropriate limitations on alcohol advertisements that target youth, restrictions on the promotional activities of alcohol companies on college campuses, and rotating health and safety warnings in all alcohol advertisements.