Alcohol advertising has shown to have a great impact among teens and adults. Youth exposure to alcohol advertising on TV increased 71 percent between 2001 and 2009, according to a report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
During past Super Bowl games, a survey conducted by a coalition in Columbus, Ohio, showed that beer commercials were a big hit and that beer ads were among teens’ top five favorite Super Bowl ads. The interviewers wanted to see what commercials the kids were remembering. Not surprisingly, the ones with alcohol were among the top 5. Even if the commercials/advertisements are not aimed directly at teens, they are clearly viewing them and their content is having a great effect. These comercials are being shown on channels that are directed towards adolescents, whether alcohol marketers want to admit that or not. The commercial below is one that made the top 3 favorites among teens.
Alcohol advertising has been banned in many countries across the globe because of the rise in alcohol-related deaths each year. A report shows that alcohol is the leading drug problem among kids. Some 4,600 deaths a year are alcohol related. Last year, 10.4 million, or more than a quarter, of American kids 12-20 reported drinking in the past month. Long-term studies show that exposure to alcohol ads and marketing increases the likelihood that kids will start drinking or consume more alcohol. If the United States wont start taking action, then it’s up to parents. They need to converse with their children and let them know that the commercials being shown don’t reveal the devastating effects that alcoholism can have on themselves and their families.
Health and the Media 