Alcohol Advertisement in Australia - Research Paper Example

Alcohol Advertisement in Australia Name Tutor Course Date Contents Introduction 3 Research objective 4 Literature review 4 Methodology 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion 9 References 11 Alcohol advertisement Introduction The advertisement of alcohol and its promotion is capable of being very persuasive. The advertisements range from newspaper adverts to sporting uniforms embedded with alcohol logos. It is estimated that in 2007, $128 million was used on alcohol advertisement in Australia although the amount sent on merchandise or sponsorship was not considered. The influence that alcohol advertisement has on the young people and what they perceive of alcohol and their intentions to take alcohol is what a major concern is. In Australia most people believe that alcohol advertising influence the character and behavior of people who are below 18 years o age, it is also believed that 64% of Australia population support alcohol advertisement ban on the television earlier than 8.30pm. Recent studies have shown a strong relationship between the intentions to take alcohol and the publicity of alcohol advertisement. The sponsorship of sports by alcohol brands have also shown to effect young people and children mostly associating sports with alcohol The consumption of alcohol by the young people is a severe health problem. Negative health in additional to social consequences for instance addiction, violence, poor performance in schools, inability to make the right decisions, memory loss, depression and suicide, damaged brain development, impaired brain development and car accidents are associated with underage drinking. (Bronomo et al., 2001) Research objective There are always debates by the public whether alcohol advertisement is in any way related with the consumption levels of alcohol by the youth and whether the relationship is casual. The research objective is to keenly asses the relationship between alcohol advertisement and the consumption levels among the youths in Australia. Literature review There is an increased concern in the society about the relationship between alcohol consumption and the harm related with alcohol, awareness on the features potentially impacting on the behavior of taking alcohol has grown. One of the factors that are believed to be a mojor contributor is alcohol advertisement. Alcohol advertisement is mostly associated with the behavior of young people drinking alcohol at adolescence stage. In the annual poll conducted by Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (2013) found that 68% of the Australia population has a strong believe that alcohol advertisement adversely affect the behavior of young people below the age of 18 years; the study also revealed that 64% of the population supports a ban on the television before 8.30pm for alcohol advertisement. Regardless of the regulations protecting the young people from alcohol advertisement, there is a high exposure of youth below the drinking age to alcohol advertisement. Studies have shown that young people are exposed to alcohol advertisement at a higher rate than the young adults (Winter et al., 2008). For instance, underage drinkers are a target in every one of fourteen alcohol advertisements on television and one in every six advertisement on magazines. There have been efforts made to counteract the profusion of alcohol advertisement to the youths in Australia but these efforts are far below the ever increasing volume of alcohol advertisements. Furthermore, the advertisements on responsible drinking are very minimal. The statistics show that young people are likely to view a television advertisement on alcohol consumption 60 times more as compared to an advertisement promoting responsible drinking and 93 times more likely to witness television adverts encouraging alcohol than advertisements putting off underage alcohol consumption (CAMY, 2003). The sponsorship of sports and sporting events by alcohol manufactures is one of the major avenues through which the youths are highly exposed to alcohol advertisements, and this probably gives a contradictory message to the society it can be assumed that by sponsoring the sporting events, alcohol companies and the sporting organization are marketing their products. There has been complains that have come about as a result of the alcohol companies sponsoring sports, as a result of the involvement of alcohol companies in sports, there is a major exposure of alcohol advertisement to the young people at key sporting events in Australia. There is a mojor outcry to the government from the community, police and public health and medical practitioners to take steps to curb this exposure of alcohol advertisement in sports by the young people in Australia (AARB 2013). Studies conducted have shown that the use of technique that target and are appealing to the young people have been applied in alcohol advertisement. Research has shown that the youth find a lot of features in alcohol advertisement very appealing to them; others have found some distinctiveness of alcohol advertisement for example, comedy, population music, celebrity endorsement, animation, etc to attract young people (Chen & Crube, 2002). Young people also find description of entertainment, friends and solidarity good looking and over and over again correlate alcohol advertisement to be persuasive to buy the drinks, portrayal of the drinks/ products supremacy over their competitor’s products, and the connection between alcohol and social success, sexual charisma. Furthermore, young people also believe that the commercials propose that alcohol takers will find success, love, sexual partners and happiness. Methodology The methods used by the researcher are qualitative as well as quantitative so as to acquire a good understanding of the objectives of this research paper. The data (primary) that will help the researcher get a good understanding of the paper in a wide perspective will be by the use of a questionnaire given out that will help to dissect the results of the research. The knowledge in this area of study will be used as secondary data. The data collection that will be used in this research is a questionnaire. The core plan of this research is to establish alcohol advertisement in Australia. The questionnaire will be given to individuals who will be expected to fill in the questionnaire. After all the feedback is collected from the respondents, the data will be analyzed and then interpreted which will be in turn used in supporting the secondary data. Discussion Most of the research that has been done on alcohol advertisement concerns the correlation between alcohol advertisement and its exposure to the young people and how it affects their behaviors. Young people are swayed by celebrity endorsement used in alcohol adverts. The research showed that sexual themes, young models and celebrity endorsement used in alcohol advertisement electrify the adolescents. Young models and celebrities in alcohol advertisement impress most the adolescent. It is also reported that alcohol advertisement that has sexual themes are more appealing to the youths (Stacy et al., 2004). It has been found that most young people will recall young models, celebrities and sports personality used in alcohol advertisements. In a sample of young people between 10-14 years, sports personalities and humor are the major reasons why they are attracted to an advertisement, in a research by Neuendorf (1985) where 100 young people were asked to name their favorite advertisement, thirty percent of these adolescent named a beer or wine advertisement as their favorite. Studies propose that alcohol advertising cause one to have the intent of taking alcohol as well as the alcohol consumption patterns. Increase in alcohol consumption among the young people is positively associated with the exposure to alcohol advertising (Snyder, 2006). The increase in exposure to alcohol advertisement is linked to 44 % increase in young people consuming beer and 34 % wine and/of liquor consumption increase (Stacy et al., 2004). Methodological and design restrictions with customers studies in alcohol advertisement are experienced as any other scientific research. Discussions will always be present about how alcohol advertisement is measured; it has proven to be a difficult task to get a huge unsystematic sample of participants, in additional to analysis of the results can disagree. However, even if it is not possible to conduct a perfect study, most of the research done on this issue is of high academic standards, making use of identifiable in addition to tried and tested procedures. Alcohol producers also argue that the results found by these researches are not significant and that other factors like peer influence and also parental influence are a major factor in development of such behaviors. To some point, those factors influence character and behavior, however, the evidence is statistically prove that there is a high correlation between alcohol advertisement and the drinking behavior portrayed by the youth and this can never be ignored (Anderson et al., 2009). Conclusion Recent studies have shown that alcohol advertisement is a major influence in the behavior of young people consuming alcohol. The evidence has continually developed with the cross- sectional study in Australia finding that there is a high correlation between increased alcohol consumption among the youth and alcohol advertisement The Australian senate has indentified alcohol advertisement as a subject of concern and considering a policy response with the help of consultations from the public health sector. Most of the alcohol manufactures continue to argue about the amount of evidence present and this casts doubt about the industry’s role in helping face out the alcohol menace in Australia as proposed by the public health sector Some suggestions for a policy reaction call for total ban on part or all types of alcohol advertisement. Another proposal is that the present regulatory code and rules be extensive in that they cover all advertisement methods inclusive of new media in additional to sponsorship, and regulation on price promotions. Under such legislative regulations, there would be only some forms of alcohol advertisements that would be allowed by the law; all other means would be illegal. To be specific, the law would only allow the type of alcohol advertisement giving the real distinctiveness of the alcohol products like the origin, ingredients, brand name and the methods of preparation and serving. Advertisement in the new media would be illegal and they would only permit sponsorship where the spectators are all over 18 years of age. The advertisements on the television would only be allowed to air after 9pm and this would be to limit publicity to the children. Additionally, restrictions on regularity of the adverts in the media would go a long way in avoiding too much exposure on alcohol advertising. It would be illegal to erect Posters and billboards within 200 m of learning institutions. The proposed system would have a major advantage in that it is crystal clear in what alcohol advertisement is permitted, everything apart from that would be considered illegal. The existing situation in where the authorities and monitors struggle to control the advertisement due to the constant changes in advertisement and new means of communication would be avoided. Regulating alcohol advertisement using those means of legislation would not reduce alcohol consumption and the problems related to alcohol consumption within the young people immediately but, it should be an action plan of the comprehensive alcohol interference strategies intended to tackle alcohol advertisement in the society although, alcohol advertisement regulation is among the less costly interventions means available. Further research on means to curb this menace like investigating new channels of communications and sponsorship, and putting into consideration the influence on the intensity of publicity to alcohol advertisement should be conducted. The major focus should be on local authorities, public health sector and the government to revise the legislative structures controlling alcohol advertisement in Australia. References Alcohol Advertising Review Board (AARB), Fourth Report: March - August 2013, Accessed 10 June 2014, Anderson P, De Bruijn A, Angus K, et al. 2009, Impact of alcohol advertising and media exposure on adolescent alcohol use: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. Alcohol; 44:229-43. Bonomo, Y.A., Bowes, G. & Coffey, C. et al. 2001, Adverse outcomes of alcohol use in adolescents. Addiction, 96; 1485-1485 Centre on Alcohol Marketing & Youth (CAMY) 2003. Exposure of African-American Youth to Alcohol Advertising. Washington, DC: The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education 2012, Alcohol advertisement, accessed on 10th June 2014, web Neuendorf, K 1985, Alcohol Advertising and Media Portrayals Journal of the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies. Vol, 10, pp. 67-78. Snyder, L.B., Milici, F.F., Slater, M. et al. 2006, Effects of Alcohol Advertising on Drinking Among Youth. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 160; 18-24. Stacey, A.W. Zogg, J.B., Unger, J.B., Dent, C.W. 2004, Exposure to television alcohol ads and subsequent adolescent alcohol use. American Journal of Health Behavior, 28(6); 498-509. Winter, M.V., Donovan, R.J. & Fielder, J. 2008, Exposure of children and adolescents to alcohol advertising on television in Australia. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs; 69(5); 676-683 Read More

Studies conducted have shown that the use of technique that target and are appealing to the young people have been applied in alcohol advertisement. Research has shown that the youth find a lot of features in alcohol advertisement very appealing to them; others have found some distinctiveness of alcohol advertisement for example, comedy, population music, celebrity endorsement, animation, etc to attract young people (Chen & Crube, 2002). Young people also find description of entertainment, friends and solidarity good looking and over and over again correlate alcohol advertisement to be persuasive to buy the drinks, portrayal of the drinks/ products supremacy over their competitor’s products, and the connection between alcohol and social success, sexual charisma.

Furthermore, young people also believe that the commercials propose that alcohol takers will find success, love, sexual partners and happiness. Methodology The methods used by the researcher are qualitative as well as quantitative so as to acquire a good understanding of the objectives of this research paper. The data (primary) that will help the researcher get a good understanding of the paper in a wide perspective will be by the use of a questionnaire given out that will help to dissect the results of the research.

The knowledge in this area of study will be used as secondary data. The data collection that will be used in this research is a questionnaire. The core plan of this research is to establish alcohol advertisement in Australia. The questionnaire will be given to individuals who will be expected to fill in the questionnaire. After all the feedback is collected from the respondents, the data will be analyzed and then interpreted which will be in turn used in supporting the secondary data. Discussion Most of the research that has been done on alcohol advertisement concerns the correlation between alcohol advertisement and its exposure to the young people and how it affects their behaviors.

Young people are swayed by celebrity endorsement used in alcohol adverts. The research showed that sexual themes, young models and celebrity endorsement used in alcohol advertisement electrify the adolescents. Young models and celebrities in alcohol advertisement impress most the adolescent. It is also reported that alcohol advertisement that has sexual themes are more appealing to the youths (Stacy et al., 2004). It has been found that most young people will recall young models, celebrities and sports personality used in alcohol advertisements.

In a sample of young people between 10-14 years, sports personalities and humor are the major reasons why they are attracted to an advertisement, in a research by Neuendorf (1985) where 100 young people were asked to name their favorite advertisement, thirty percent of these adolescent named a beer or wine advertisement as their favorite. Studies propose that alcohol advertising cause one to have the intent of taking alcohol as well as the alcohol consumption patterns. Increase in alcohol consumption among the young people is positively associated with the exposure to alcohol advertising (Snyder, 2006).

The increase in exposure to alcohol advertisement is linked to 44 % increase in young people consuming beer and 34 % wine and/of liquor consumption increase (Stacy et al., 2004). Methodological and design restrictions with customers studies in alcohol advertisement are experienced as any other scientific research. Discussions will always be present about how alcohol advertisement is measured; it has proven to be a difficult task to get a huge unsystematic sample of participants, in additional to analysis of the results can disagree.

However, even if it is not possible to conduct a perfect study, most of the research done on this issue is of high academic standards, making use of identifiable in addition to tried and tested procedures. Alcohol producers also argue that the results found by these researches are not significant and that other factors like peer influence and also parental influence are a major factor in development of such behaviors.

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