Truth about alcohol advertising revealed
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By Adam Leveridge
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Thursday, 21, Jan 2010 12:42
Medical researchers say alcohol advertising, although restricted, is still appealing to young people and promoting drink.
Researchers from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) say an analysis of previously unseen industry documents published on bmj.com today, finds that advertisers are still managing to appeal to young people and promote drinking.
According to those behind the research, companies are "pushing boundaries" of the advertising code. The documents were made available as part of the House of Commons Health Committee alcohol inquiry and included client briefs, media schedules, advertising budgets, and market research reports.
Professor Gerard Hastings and a team of researchers looked at four themes that are banned by the advertising code of practice, such as appealing to people under 18 and encouraging irresponsible drinking, as well as sponsorship and new media.
They found that market research data on 15 and 16-year-olds is used to guide campaign development and deployment, while many references are made to the need to recruit new drinkers and establish their loyalty to a particular brand; such as WKD and Carling brands.
Despite a ban on encouraging drunkenness and excess, the authors also found many references to unwise and immoderate drinking, suggesting that increasing consumption is a key promotional aim.
The authors of the study suggest that regulation should be independent of the alcohol and advertising industries and that all alcohol advertisements should be pre-vetted.
In an accompanying editorial today, BMJ deputy editor Trish Groves said: "It is time to put away the rhetoric, popular with the drinks industry, that alcohol misuse is largely an individual problem best avoided and managed through education, counselling, and medical treatment.
"Instead, the UK needs to embrace the idea that the health and societal costs of alcohol misuse are best prevented through legislation on pricing and marketing."