External research & studies on alcohol advertising and marketing
In this section you can find a collection of useful studies and pieces of research that help in demonstrating that the exposure to alcoholic advertising, as long as the advertising is done in a responsible manner, has no link with increased alcohol consumption. This is also true when minors are concerned, as numerous safeguards at both EU and national level already impede audiovisual commercial communications from addressing minors. This section includes relevant studies on alcohol advertising and marketing exposure, trends in alcohol consumption, evidence on the effectiveness of alcohol advertising self-regulation and much more.
The research and studies that you can find in this section have been published by different entities as specified in each summary. The research memos and short summaries are fed by the public and regulatory affairs team at egta and updated on a regular basis.
 |
United Kingdom, March 2011- Research by Credos, advertising industry’s think-tank, on “Alcohol marketing and youth drinking: has the EU science group got it right about the link?” |
Summary: This study is in response to the European Alcohol and Health Forum’s Science Group report which made a clear link between advertising exposure and underage drinking. In response, Credos has undertaken a rigorous and fresh review of the existing body of evidence in an attempt to challenge the assertions made, and found that this evidence is in fact far from clear. What is clear is that further research is needed.
Full study will be available in April on www.credos.org.uk
|
United Kingdom, February 2011 – Office of Nation Statistics issues study on “Smoking and drinking among adults, 2009” |
Summary: This survey by the UK Office of National Statistics confirms that in the UK, like in most “old” European countries, the average consumption of alcoholic beverages is declining. The fall in consumption between 2000 and 2006 occurred among men and women in all age groups, but was most evident among those aged 16 to 24.
Please read the complete study by clicking here.
|
Europe, June 2010 – Brewers of Europe issues study on “Responsible beer advertising through self-regulation” |
Summary: This report was compiled by the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) for the Brewers of Europe and describes the Brewers of Europe’s commitment on self-regulation of commercial communications for beer, as submitted to the European Alcohol and Health Forum in 2007. The goal of the commitment was that by April 2010, seven recommended operational standards for guiding responsible beer commercial communications in the EU would have been rolled out across the membership of The Brewers of Europe. The report is externally reviewed by KPMG and concludes that between 2007 and 2010, across the vast majority of EU Member States, the roll-out of effective self-regulatory systems for beer advertising has increased substantially and across all seven Operational Standards.
Please read the complete study by clicking here.
|
United Kingdom, June 2010 – Clearcast study on the influences on young people and their drinking behaviour |
Summary: These qualitative discussions suggest that for most youths TV advertising and programmes seem not to have a major influence in their decision to drink alcoholic drinks, however TV advertising and TV programmes may impact their brand/beverage choice. The online survey results showed that the proportion of youths claiming that TV ads did not make them do anything was significantly higher for alcoholic drinks (64%) than the other product categories tested.
Please read the complete study by clicking here.
|
Europe, April 2010 – Eurobarometer study on EU citizens’ attitudes toward alcohol |
Summary: This survey is on EU citizens attitudes towards alcohol and shows that a clear majority (77%) think that alcohol advertising targeting young people should be banned across the EU. This is in line with the current regulatory framework set by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and many self-regulatory codes applied by the majority of TV sales houses in Europe.
Please read the complete study by clicking here.
|
February 2010 - Pennsylvania State University issues review of longitudinal studies on alcohol advertising & marketing |
Summary: This paper presents a meta-analysis of prospective cohort (longitudinal) studies of alcohol marketing and adolescent drinking, which accounts for publication bias. The paper provides a summary of 12 primary studies of the marketing–drinking relationship. The paper concludes that the effect of alcohol marketing on adolescent drinking is modest, but the evidence indicates that it may not exist at all for mass media and other exposures. It also noted that advertising regulation is one of several possibly policy tools to combat underage drinking and supports the view that advertising bans and other marketing regulations are among the least effective policy strategies.
Please read the complete study by clicking here.
|
Europe, September 2009 - European Spirits Organisation Fact Sheet on Alcohol Advertising and Consumption |
Summary: This fact sheet was prepared by the European Spirits Organisation and the European Forum for Responsible Drinking. This document aims to provide an effective toolkit to address questions surrounding alcohol advertising and its effects on consumption.
Please read the document by clicking here.
|
Europe, July 2009 – Scientists review of longitudinal sudies demonstrating that banning alcohol ads won’t cure alcoholism |
Summary: This article is based on the work of two scientists which analysed 11 cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of advertising exposure. In conclusion, none of the studies can justify a causal conclusion about the relationship between advertising and drinking initiation or consumption given their cross-sectional or longitudinal design. Moreover, they state that the imposition of labels warning of dangers of alcohol abuse might be counterproductive.
Please read the document by clicking here.
|
US, 2007- Study by Pennsylvania State University on effectiveness of alcohol advertising restrictions |
Summary: This study surveys the different studies on alcohol advertising bans and alcohol consumption or abuse and advertising expenditures and alcohol consumption. The fourteen studies reviewed do not support a statistically significant or material effect of alcohol advertising bans, including selective bans of outdoor media and comprehensive bans of broadcast media and other print media. Indeed in a mature market, advertising can only have an effect on brand or beverage share and not on alcohol demand.
Please read the document by clicking here.
|
Europe, October 2006 – CESifo study on alcohol taxation and regulation in the EU |
Summary: This study is an overview of the alcohol consumption, taxation and regulation cross the EU. Concerning advertising, it states that bans on advertising have proved not to be very effective in combating excessive alcohol consumption, although there is some evidence that alcohol advertising is influential in positively shaping young people’s attitudes and perceptions about alcohol. It stresses that a cost-effective approach is more efficient.
Please read the document by clicking here.
|
UK, July 2006– Study founded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism on “Another Round for the Brewers: Television Ads and Children's Alcohol Expectancies” |
Summary: In this experimental study of how beer commercials affect alcohol expectancies, 92 fifth graders watched 40 television ads that included either five beer commercials, five soft-drink commercials, or five beer commercials plus two anti-drinking messages. Afterwards, as an unrelated task, they completed the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire-Adolescent Form (AEQ-A; Christiansen, Goldman, & Inn, 1982). Exposure to different commercials produced no differences in drinking expectancies. The failure of beer commercials to create positive alcohol expectancies is consistent with limited and null findings of previous investigations. Research to date does not support a ban on alcohol advertising.
Please read the document by clicking here.
|
US, January 2003 - Meta-analysis of alcohol advertising bans |
Summary: This study is a meta-analysis of empirical studies examining the effects of advertising bans on consumption of alcoholic beverages. The results fail to demonstrate that advertising bans are effective as an alcohol-reduction policy. Moreover, the study confirms the idea according to which the effect of alcohol advertising is on brand or beverage shares, and not on total alcohol demand.
Please read the document by clicking here.
|
OECD Countries, January 2001 – “Do advertising bans work? An international comparison” |
Summary: The study assessed bans on broadcast advertising in seventeen OECD countries for the years 1977-95, in relation to per capita alcohol consumption, liver cirrhosis mortality, and motor vehicle fatalities. Results indicate that advertising bans in OECD countries have not decreased alcohol consumption or alcohol abuse. However, advertising bans can increase or decrease alcohol consumption due to effects on beverage choice, price competition, and substitution by producers toward non-banned media.
Please read the document by clicking here.
