Global alcohol producers, science, and policy: the case of the International Center for Alcohol Policies

In this article, I document strategies used by alcohol producers to influence national and global science and policy. Their strategies include producing scholarly publications with incomplete, distorted views of the science underlying alcohol policies; pressuring national and international governmental institutions; and encouraging collaboration of public health researchers with alcohol industry-funded organizations and researchers. I conclude with a call for an enhanced research agenda drawing on sources seldom used by public health research, more focused resourcing of global public health bodies such as the World Health Organization to counterbalance industry initiatives, development of technical assistance and other materials to assist countries with effective alcohol-control strategies, and further development of an ethical stance regarding collaboration with industries that profit from unhealthy consumption of their products.     

Unhealthy sport sponsorship at the 2017 AFL Grand Final: a case study of its frequency,duration and nature

Objective: To assess the frequency, duration and nature of unhealthy marketing during the highest‐rating sporting event in Australia in 2017. Methods: A content analysis of the 2017 Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final television broadcast identified episodes of unhealthy food and sugary drink, alcohol and gambling marketing (and pro‐health marketing as a comparison). Results: There were 559 unhealthy marketing episodes (47 minutes 17 seconds). Most (81%) were for unhealthy food and sugary drink products, while alcohol (9%) and gambling (10%) were less frequent. The total duration of unhealthy marketing was delivered primarily via fixed advertising (55%), dynamic advertising (32%) and branded objects (11%). For unhealthy food and sugary drinks, at least one episode was visible 25% of the time. For each of alcohol and gambling, at least one episode was visible 4% of the time. Unhealthy food and sugary drink marketing peaked in Quarter 2. Pro‐health marketing was limited, with 26 episodes (2 minutes 59 seconds). Conclusions: The 2017 AFL Grand Final broadcast featured a high frequency and extensive duration of unhealthy marketing, especially for unhealthy food and sugary drink brands. Implications for public health: Findings strengthen evidence supporting calls to increase regulation of sport sponsorship by unhealthy brands.     

Youth exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines--United States, 2001-2005

Alcohol consumption among persons aged 12-20 years contributes to the three leading causes of death (unintentional injury, homicide, and suicide) in this age group in the United States and is associated with other health-risk behaviors, including high-risk sexual activity, smoking, and physical fighting. Recent studies have documented the contribution of alcohol marketing to underage drinking. In 2000, the trade association for the wine industry changed its voluntary marketing code to stop advertising in magazines in which youths aged 12-20 years were >30% of the audience. In 2003, this threshold was adopted by the trade associations for beer and liquor producers. To determine the proportion of alcohol advertisements placed in magazines with disproportionately large youth readerships (i.e., >15% of readers aged 12-20 years) and to assess the proportion of youths exposed to these advertisements, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University, District of Columbia) evaluated the placement of alcohol advertisements in 143 national magazines for which readership composition data were available for 2001-2005; these 143 publications accounted for approximately 90% of expenditures for all alcohol advertising in national print magazines. This report summarizes the results of that study, which indicated that alcohol advertising remained common in magazines with >15% youth readership but decreased substantially in magazines with >30% youth readership. These results suggest that although voluntary industry standards have reduced youth exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines, strengthening these standards by establishing a >15% youth readership threshold would further reduce exposure. In addition, independent monitoring of youth exposure to alcohol advertising should continue, as recommended by the U.S. Congress and Surgeon General.     

The distribution of harmful product marketing in public outdoor spaces and the effectiveness of marketing bans

Children's exposure to the marketing of harmful products in public outdoor spaces may influence their consumption of those products and affect health into adulthood. This study aimed to: i) examine the spatial distribution of children's exposure to three types of marketing-related ‘harms’ (alcohol, unhealthy food, and gambling) in outdoor spaces in the Wellington region, New Zealand/Aotearoa; ii) compare differences in the distribution of harms by socioeconomic deprivation; and iii) estimate the effectiveness of different policies that ban such marketing. Data were from 122 children aged 11–13y who wore wearable cameras and GPS devices for four consecutive days from July 2014 to June 2015. Images were analysed to identify harmful product marketing exposures in public outdoor spaces. Eight policy scenarios were examined to identify the effectiveness of marketing bans, for all children and by socioeconomic deprivation. Children's ratio of harmful marketing was higher for children from high deprivation households and was also found to cluster, with hots spots observed around city centers. The effectiveness of marketing bans depended on the target setting and ban area, with banning 400 m around bus stops leading to the largest reduction. Effectiveness varied also by type of harm and socioeconomic deprivation. For example, banning alcohol marketing in residential areas was estimated to have a larger effect on exposure reduction for children from high deprivation households. Our findings suggest that alcohol, unhealthy food and gambling marketing often cluster outdoors and that targeted bans of such marketing would likely improve child health and, for some banning scenarios, promote equity.     

Advertising and Obesity: A Behavioral Perspective

Concern over the levels of obesity observed in Western countries has grown as researchers forecast a rapid growth in the medical care that a progressively more obese population will require. As health workers deal with increased incidences of diabetes and other obesity-related disorders, policymakers have examined the factors contributing to this problem. In particular, advertising that promotes high fat and high sugar products to children has come under increasing scrutiny. Advertisers have rejected claims that advertising contributes to obesity by arguing that it cannot coerce people into purchasing a product, and does not affect primary demand. This reasoning overlooks the role advertising plays in reinforcing and normalising behavior, however, and it assumes that only direct causal links merit regulatory attention. Ehrenberg's “weak” theory suggests advertising will support unhealthy eating behaviors, while the wide range of sales promotions employed will prompt trial and reward continued consumption. This article presents an alternative analysis of how marketing contributes to obesity and uses behavior modification theory to analyse the “fast-food” industry's promotions. We also review the New Zealand government's response to obesity and suggest policy interventions that would foster healthier eating behaviors.     

Die Toronto-Charta für Bewegung

The World Health Organization and other international health promotion organisations and agencies have recognised physical inactivity as a major health risk factor. However, physical inactivity still receives less attention than other risk factors for non-communicable diseases (e.g. tobacco use, unhealthy diets and overweight). Therefore, in 2009 the Council for Global Advocacy for Physical Activity (GAPA) of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) initiated the development of the first Charter for Physical Activity as a global call for action. The Charter was presented at the International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health in Toronto, Canada, in May 2010. A strategic implementation of the Charter fosters intersectoral collaboration and can significantly contribute to increasing the prevalence of a population-wide active lifestyle.     

Advancing Health Marketing Research and Policy Recommendations by Incorporating Source Perspectives

Communication researchers, recognizing the message sent is not necessarily the same as the message received, have incorporated the perspective of advertising professionals into the study of advertising effects. Health marketing research could similarly benefit from incorporating this largely absent perspective into the academic and policy debate surrounding the impact of advertising on health issues ranging from obesity to alcohol use. This commentary serves as a call to action to stakeholders in this academic and policy debate: focus on the perspective of advertising professionals to enrich health marketing and public health research in which advertising is the delivery vehicle for health messages.     

Food Marketing to Children on U.S. Spanish-Language Television

Latino children in particular are at risk of childhood obesity. Because exposure to televised food marketing is a contributor to childhood obesity, it is important to examine the nutritional quality of foods advertised on Spanish-language children's programming. The authors analyzed a sample of 158 Spanish-language children's television programs for its advertising content and compared them with an equivalent sample of English-language advertising. The authors evaluated nutritional quality of each advertised product using a food rating system from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, the authors assessed compliance with industry self-regulatory pledges. The authors found that amount of food advertising on Spanish-language channels (M = 2.2 ads/hour) was lower than on English-language programs, but the nutritional quality of food products on Spanish-language channels was substantially poorer than on English channels. Industry self-regulation was less effective on Spanish-language channels. The study provides clear evidence of significant disparities. Food advertising targeted at Spanish-speaking children is more likely to promote nutritionally poor food products than advertising on English-language channels. Industry self-regulation is less effective on Spanish-language television channels. Given the disproportionately high rate of childhood obesity among Latinos, the study's findings hold important implications for public health policy.     

Youth exposure to alcohol advertising on radio--United States, June-August 2004

In the United States, more underage youth drink alcohol than smoke tobacco or use illicit drugs. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to many adverse health and social consequences and results in approximately 4,500 deaths among underage youth each year. Recent studies have emphasized the contribution of alcohol marketing to underage drinking and have demonstrated that a substantial proportion of alcohol advertising appears in media for which the audience composition is youth-oriented (i.e., composed disproportionately of persons aged 12-20 years). To determine the proportion of radio advertisements that occurred on radio programs with audiences composed disproportionately of underage youth and the proportion of total youth exposure to alcohol advertising that occurs as a result of such advertising, researchers at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University, District of Columbia) evaluated the placement of individual radio advertisements for the most advertised U.S. alcohol brands and the composition of audiences in the largest 104 markets in the United States. This report summarizes the results of that study, which indicate that alcohol advertising is common on radio programs which have disproportionately large youth audiences and that this advertising accounts for a substantial proportion of all alcohol radio advertising heard by underage youth. These results further indicate that 1) the current voluntary standards limiting alcohol marketing to youth should be enforced and ultimately strengthened, and 2) ongoing monitoring of youth exposure to alcohol advertising should continue.     

Protecting Young People From Junk Food Advertising: Implications of Psychological Research for First Amendment Law

In the United States, one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, yet food and beverage companies continue to target them with advertising for products that contribute to this obesity crisis.When government restrictions on such advertising are proposed, the constitutional commercial speech doctrine is often invoked as a barrier to action. We explore incongruities between the legal justifications for the commercial speech doctrine and the psychological research on how food advertising affects young people.A proper interpretation of the First Amendment should leave room for regulations to protect young people from advertising featuring calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages.NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE documented the volume and poor nutritional quality of foods and beverages marketed to children and adolescents. The food industry spends more than $1.6 billion per year in child- and teen-targeted marketing of their products.1 The average child in the United States views 13 food ads on television each day,2 and food advertising represents approximately 30% of all paid television advertising viewed by children.3 Food companies also target children directly on the Internet, product packaging, social media, and numerous other marketing venues.1 Nearly all foods featured in advertising targeted toward young people have high levels of calories, total fat, saturated fat, sugar, or sodium (i.e., they are unhealthy, calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods, or “junk” foods) and are often nutritionally inferior to products targeting adults.4–9Research has consistently demonstrated the effects of food advertising on children''s brand preferences, food choices, and requests to parents.10,11 Recent studies suggest that food advertising may also have a broader impact on children''s and adolescents’ diet and health, including increased consumption of snack foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fast food12–14 and higher body mass indexes.14,15One third of children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese,16 and rates of diet-related diseases among young people are unprecedented.10,17,18 Public health experts conclude that this epidemic of childhood obesity and poor diet cannot be resolved without dramatic changes in the obesogenic food environment that surrounds young people and to which food advertising is a major contributor.1,10,19,20Advocates have proposed a range of public health tools to protect young people from exposure to unhealthy food advertising, including nutrition and media literacy education, public health and industry advertising to promote consumption of healthy foods, industry self-regulation, government legislation and regulation, and litigation.19 However, education and counteradvertising alone cannot compete with the $1.6 billion spent annually by industry to target young people with continuous reminders about the rewards of consuming primarily unhealthy foods1,19; significant reductions in the volume of unhealthy food advertising directed at young people are necessary.It is unlikely that the food and beverage industry will voluntarily make these changes. Seventeen food and beverage companies in the United States21 participate in the Children''s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative and have pledged to improve their advertising directed at children; however, these pledges have been criticized for numerous limitations in the types of marketing and products covered.22 For example, “child-targeted” advertising is defined as advertising that appears in media in which 50% or more of the audience is between the ages of 2 and 11 years,21 yet this definition excludes many types of media that appeal to and are viewed primarily by nonadults.22 Similarly, most pledges do not restrict advertising for “better-for-you” foods,21 but these criteria are defined by the companies themselves and often allow advertising of products high in saturated fat, sodium, or sugar.22 Evaluations of the effectiveness of these pledges demonstrate minimal improvements at best.23–26In the absence of effective industry self-regulation, it is imperative for the government to step in; however, governmental bodies have been timid about attempting to limit young people''s exposure to food advertising.19,27 An oft-cited barrier to action is the constitutional commercial speech doctrine, which affords significant First Amendment protection to advertising, defined by the US Supreme Court as “speech proposing a commercial transaction.”28 (It is beyond the scope of this article to speculate how courts would parse out which promotional activities involve advertising versus non-speech-related marketing that is unprotected by the First Amendment. Our analysis applies to “advertising” however construed.) The commercial speech doctrine presumes that advertising restrictions harm consumers and the overall economy by obstructing the free flow of information needed to facilitate informed commercial transactions.19,29We discuss key premises underlying the commercial speech doctrine and psychological research on how food advertising affects young people. Examining both legal and psychological theories of advertising effects, we demonstrate that the commercial speech doctrine, in its current form, has little relevance to the actual techniques used to encourage the purchase and consumption of nutritionally poor foods by children and adolescents. As applied to unhealthy food advertising to young people, the commercial speech doctrine is outdated and inadequate and should not stand as an impediment to well-crafted government restrictions on such advertising. Although this premise has not been tested in the courts, there should be constitutional room for governments at the local, state, and federal levels to use laws, regulations, and enforcement actions to curb advertising of junk foods to children.     

Perceptions of Food Advertising and Association With Consumption of Energy-Dense Nutrient-Poor Foods Among Adolescents in the United States: Results From a National Survey

The advertising and marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor (EDNP) food and drink has been cited as one contributor to unhealthy eating behaviors in adolescents. The present study examines perceptions about and trust in food advertising and their association with consumption of EDNP foods and drinks among adolescents in the United States. Data (n = 1,384) come from the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating Survey. One way ANOVAs were conducted to assess differences between population subgroups in advertising perceptions. Bivariate and multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations between perceptions toward and trust in food advertising and consumption of EDNP foods and drinks, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results show that there are significant differences between racial/ethnic groups on advertising perceptions (F = 16.32, p = < .0001). As positive perceptions toward food advertising increase among adolescents, there is an associated increase in daily frequency of consumption of EDNP foods and drinks (β = 0.10, p < .01). Similarly, the more adolescents agreed that they trusted food advertising, the higher the reported daily frequency of EDNP food and drink consumption (β = 0.08, p = .01). Targeting perceptions about food advertising may be a worthy intervention strategy to reduce the impact of food marketing and the consumption of heavily advertised EDNP foods and drinks among adolescents.     

Advocates, interest groups and Australian news coverage of alcohol advertising restrictions: content and framing analysis

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Legislating restrictions on alcohol advertising is a cost-effective measure to reduce consumption of alcohol. Yet Australia relies upon industry self-regulation through voluntary codes of practice regarding the content, timing and placement of alcohol advertising. Ending industry self-regulation was recommended by the National Preventative Health Taskforce; a suggestion contested by the drinks industry. Debates about emerging alcohol-control policies regularly play out in the news media, with various groups seeking to influence the discussion. This paper examines news coverage of recommendations to restrict alcohol advertising to see how supporters and opponents frame the debate, with a view to providing some suggestions for policy advocates to advance the discussion. METHODS: We used content and framing analyses to examine 329 Australian newspaper items mentioning alcohol advertising restrictions over 24 months. All items were coded for mentions of specific types of advertising and types of advertising restrictions, the presence of news frames that opposed or endorsed advertising restrictions, statements made within each frame and the news-actors who appeared. RESULTS: Restrictions were the main focus in only 36% of 329 items. Alcohol advertising was conceived of as television (47%) and sport-related (56%). Restrictions were mentioned in non-specific terms (45%), or specified as restrictions on timing and placement (49%), or content (22%). Public health professionals (47%) appeared more frequently than drinks industry representatives (18%). Five supportive news frames suggested the policy is a sensible public health response, essential to protect children, needed to combat the drinks industry, required to stop pervasive branding, or as only an issue in sport. Four unsupportive frames positioned restrictions as unnecessary for a responsible industry, an attack on legitimate commercial activities, ineffective and 'nannyist', or inessential to government policy. Support varied among news-actors, with public health professionals (94%) more supportive than the public (68%), community-based organisations (76%), the government (72%), and the sports (16%), drinks (3%), or advertising (4%) industries. CONCLUSION: Restrictions on alcohol advertising currently have low newsworthiness as a standalone issue. Future advocacy might better define the exact nature of required restrictions, anticipate vocal opposition and address forms of advertising beyond televised sport if exposure to advertising, especially among children, is to be reduced.     

Consumers’ freedom of choice—advertising aimed at children,product placement,and food labeling

The prevalence of obesity and overweight skyrockets and leads to a myriad of consequences on the individual and the population level, as well as on health care systems and the economy. Food advertisement and promotion, especially aimed at children, and food labeling are important factors behind the obesity epidemic. One of the aims of this paper is to identify and communicate the subtle and aggressive marketing strategies of unhealthy food in order to protect consumers’ freedom of choice. We also aim to raise awareness concerning advertising aimed at children, product placement, and food labeling among consumers and public health professionals. Multiple studies conducted by European consumers’ associations reveal the negative impact of the advertisement of foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt aimed at children. Industry exerts a whole variety of methods concerning food promotion. Parents are concerned with the advertisement of unhealthy food and largely miss the promotion of healthy food. Product placement of an advertising nature disrespects the principle of separation between advertising and editorial content, and, therefore, jeopardizes consumers’ freedom of choice. Nutrition facts on food packages do not adequately attract consumers and are not easily understandable. We conclude that self-regulation on part of the industry and national measures may not sufficiently protect consumers, especially children. There is a need for strict, European-Union-wide legislation on advertisements and the promotion of unhealthy food covering the whole variety of marketing tactics. Food labeling needs to be simplified and standardized across Europe to help citizens make healthy food choices. This paper contains no conflicts of interest.     

The post‐2015 landscape: vested interests,corporate social responsibility and public health advocacy

This paper explores the tensions between UN calls for private sector engagement in the post‐2015 landscape and public health opposition to those ‘harm industries’ that are ‘corporate vectors of disease’ for the mounting global non‐communicable disease burden. The UN's support for public‐private partnership has provided industries with ‘vested interests’ in the propagation of unhealthy behaviours with new opportunities for the strategic alignment of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavours with the post‐2015 sustainable development agenda. This has galvanised public health advocates to place pressure on the World Health Organisation to formalise their ambiguous stance towards private sector involvement in public policy formation and the resultant ‘conflicts of interest’. This paper critically examines the ‘gathering storm’ between this ‘anti‐corporate movement’ and the alcohol industry in the increasingly politicised domain of CSR. Drawing on the example of SABMiller's Tavern Intervention Program, the paper argues that CSR represents a profound threat to the sanctity and moral authority of the public health worldview. Questions therefore need to be asked about whether the public health‐led path of industry non‐association will necessarily result in health improvements or just a further retrenchment of the ideological faultlines explored in the paper.     

A Parental Health Education Model of Children’s Food Consumption: Influence on Children’s Attitudes,Intention, and Consumption of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods

This study proposes that parental mediation of television advertising and parental guidance of food consumption differentially influence children’s attitude, intention, and behavior toward the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods. Structural equation modeling based on a survey of 1,119 children aged 9–12 supported our model, revealing that parental education strategies influence children’s food consumption in a complex manner that is highly context-dependent. Parental guidance of food consumption enhanced children’s healthy food attitude and intention to consume, while reducing the intention to consume unhealthy food. However, parental mediation of television advertising influenced unhealthy food attitude to a greater extent than healthy food attitude. Implications for health promotion and education, as well as parents and policy makers are discussed.     

Advertising for all by the year 2000: public health implications for less developed countries.

This paper argues that the development of global advertising has significant implications for the public health of less developed countries. These implications can be seen in three areas. First, it is clear that advertising and marketing of lethal or health-compromising products like alcohol and tobacco not only can increase the level of death and disease, but can also produce serious indirect effects upon families, communities, and entire societies. Second, advertising promotes a consumption ethic which can have far-reaching effects that go beyond individual behavior, significantly altering social relationships, and influencing public policies and allocation of scarce resources. Third, advertising can restrict the public's knowledge about health issues by substituting distorted and manipulative sales messages for vital, accurate health information. In addition, revenues from advertising are a primary support for many mass media systems and this further limits the presentation of critical information.     

Governing childhood obesity: Framing regulation of fast food advertising in the Australian print media

Childhood obesity is widely constructed as reaching epidemic proportions with consumption of fast food viewed as a contributing factor. This paper analyses media reporting of the regulation of fast food consumption to children. A media search of five Australian newspapers for the period January 2006 to June 2008 elicited 100 articles relating to the regulation of fast food advertising to children. Content and thematic analysis of the articles reveal conflicting perspectives on the role of the state; the level of accountability of the food and advertising industries; and responsibilities of parents for regulating fast food consumption in children. The Federal Government, food and advertising industries and free to air broadcasters favour industry self-regulation and personal responsibility for fast food consumption while the proponents of government regulation include consumer groups, state government health ministers, nutrition and public health academics and medical and health foundations. The regulation of fast food advertising to children is discussed in relation to ideas about governance and the public health strategies which follow from these ideas. The paper argues that all proposed solutions are indicative of a neoliberal approach to the governance of health insofar as the responsibility for regulation of food marketing is viewed as lying with industry and the regulation of lifestyle risk is viewed as an individual responsibility.     

Television Food Advertising to Children: A Global Perspective

Objectives. We compared television food advertising to children in several countries.Methods. We undertook a collaboration among 13 research groups in Australia, Asia, Western Europe, and North and South America. Each group recorded programming for 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days between 6:00 and 22:00, for the 3 channels most watched by children, between October 2007 and March 2008. We classified food advertisements as core (nutrient dense, low in energy), noncore (high in undesirable nutrients or energy, as defined by dietary standards), or miscellaneous. We also categorized thematic content (promotional characters and premiums).Results. Food advertisements composed 11% to 29% of advertisements. Noncore foods were featured in 53% to 87% of food advertisements, and the rate of noncore food advertising was higher during children''s peak viewing times. Most food advertisements containing persuasive marketing were for noncore products.Conclusions. Across all sampled countries, children were exposed to high volumes of television advertising for unhealthy foods, featuring child-oriented persuasive techniques. Because of the proven connections between food advertising, preferences, and consumption, our findings lend support to calls for regulation of food advertising during children''s peak viewing times.Excess weight in children is a significant global public health issue: 10% of school-aged children,¹ and a further 22 million children younger than 5 years,² are estimated to be overweight or obese. Although the absolute prevalence of childhood obesity varies between and within countries,³ obesity levels are rising across the globe.⁴Food marketing to children has been recognized as 1 factor contributing to the obesity-promoting environment, and it is considered an important arena for action in the prevention of obesity.⁵ Systematic reviews have found that marketing generates positive beliefs about advertised foods and influences children''s food preferences, purchase requests, and consumption.^6–8 These findings are a concern because advertised foods are typically the antithesis of dietary recommendations.⁹Evidence from psychological research indicates that children, particularly those younger than 8 years, are not fully aware of the persuasive intent of food marketing and tend to accept advertising as truthful, accurate, and unbiased.^8,10 Older children, although they may understand that advertising is intended to sell a product, may not be able to interpret these messages critically.¹⁰Only a few studies have compared international patterns of television food advertising to children. One of these found that food and beverages were the most highly advertised products and that confectionery, presugared breakfast cereals and fast-food restaurants accounted for over half of all food advertisements.¹¹Analyses of persuasive marketing techniques, such as the use of promotional characters and premiums in television advertising from individual countries, have found them to be concentrated in advertisements for unhealthy food products and during the broadcast periods most popular with children. An Australian study found that the rate of unhealthy food advertisements containing premiums was 18 times as high and the rate of advertisements containing promotional characters was twice as high during the most popular children''s programs as during adults'' popular programs.¹²We determined and compared the frequency and nature of television food advertising to children in a range of countries. We also assessed food advertising during children''s peak viewing periods and the use of persuasive marketing techniques.     

Point-of-purchase alcohol marketing and promotion by store type--United States, 2000-2001

Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately 100,000 deaths annually. Efforts to reduce the adverse health and social consequences from alcohol use include policies to restrict access to alcohol among underaged persons (i.e., persons aged <21 years) and to reduce alcohol-impaired driving among persons of all ages. Recent studies have focused on alcohol marketing as a potentially important contributor to alcohol consumption, particularly among underage drinkers. Point-of-purchase (POP) (i.e., on-site) marketing, including alcohol advertising and placement, can increase alcohol sales and consumption substantially, thereby increasing the risk for various alcohol-related health outcomes, including alcohol-impaired driving and interpersonal violence. To assess the type and frequency of POP alcohol marketing, researchers with the ImpacTeen Project collected and analyzed store observation data during 2000-2001 from 3,961 alcohol retailers in 329 communities throughout the United States. This report summarizes the results of the study, which indicate that POP alcohol marketing is extensive in certain store types frequented by teenagers and young adults. Public health agencies and policy makers should work with liquor control boards to reduce POP marketing that could promote risky or underage drinking.     

Social Marketing: Principles and Practice

This book provides a comprehensive review of the key principlesof social marketing, and critically appraises their applicationto health education and health promotion. The authors seek tomove beyond the (original) definition of social marketing as‘...an application of marketing principles and tools tothe achievement of socially desirable ends’ and, consequently,they adopt a broader approach which has particular relevanceto health promotion. For example, in addition to emphasizingthe distinction between social and commercial marketing, thebook also elaborates on the nature of the particular sociallydesirable goals that should be espoused by health promotion—assertingthat these should be firmly rooted in the ideology of the UnitedNations Charter on Human Rights. In short, the authors not onlyreject a narrow victim-blaming approach