American youth are overexposed to alcohol advertising on television, according to a University study released Dec.18. In 2001, young viewers saw more ads for beer than for fruity drinks, gum, skin care products and sneakers, according to “Television: Alchohol’s Vast Adland,” a survey by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown.
The alcohol industry voluntarily restricts beer advertising to programs with a youth audience of under 50 percent. Youth are classified as persons aged 12 to 20. The study finds this standard ineffective, claiming youth are only 15 percent of the Nielsen television audience and rarely makeup more than 50 percent of a viewing audience. According to the Center, only one percent of programming tracked by Nielsen in 2001 had a youth audience of more than 50 percent.
Executive Director of the Center Jim O’Hara said self-regulation of alcohol advertising is not working and is irresponsible.
“Young teenagers are growing up in an environment that is awash in alcohol marketing. The real concern is that underage drinking in the United States is marked by abuse and the consequences of that abuse are tragic: auto accidents, suicide, homicide,” O’Hara said.
$811.2 million was spent on alcohol advertising in 2001, most of which was spent on beer advertising, according to the report. Due to the placement of ads in youth-oriented programs, almost a quarter of alcohol ads are more likely to be seen by youth.
Overall, youth saw two beer ads for every three viewed by adults. Sports, sitcom and variety shows top the list of ads that youth saw in 2001. The numbers vary for individual national networks, with WB and UPN showing more alcohol ads during youth programming than ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. On cable TV, sports programming contains the most alcohol ads that youth viewed. Forty-four percent of cable ad spending was on ESPN.
According to a University press release on Dec. 17, the Center submitted the report to the Federal Trade Commission and asked for a review of the alcohol industry’s marketing practices. The FTC last reviewed the issue in 1999 and concluded that the alcohol industry’s self-imposed restrictions reached a significant number of underage viewers.
The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth was founded in early 2002 after receiving grants. It plans to expand its studies by analyzing radio, Internet and product placement data, as well as television data from 2002.
Avid television viewer Laura Hager (NHS ‘05) estimated that beer commercials come on at least every other commercial break for most programs that she watches. She said that the alcohol industry does not appear to have any regard for avoiding placing ads during shows that attract an under 21 audience.
“Obviously it’s not on Nickelodeon, but pretty much all the other channels are fair game,” she said.
Hager said that she feels the industry restricts itself for financial reasons, not for concern for underage drinking. “They’re looking out for themselves. If the audience is young enough then they’re not going to get any business out of it.”
