Alcohol Companies' Product Advertising on Television Dwarfs 'Responsibility' Ads From 2001 to 2005

Alcohol Companies' Product Advertising on Television Dwarfs 'Responsibility' Ads From 2001 to 2005

Youth 239 times more likely to see ads promoting alcohol products than industry spots discouraging underage drinking.

WASHINGTON, June 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alcohol industry "responsibility" advertisements comprised less than three percent of the nearly 1.5 million alcohol industry television advertisements that aired from 2001 to 2005, according to a new study released today by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University.

The report, titled "DROWNED OUT: Alcohol Industry 'Responsibility' Advertising on Television 2001-2005," analyzed the industry's "responsibility" advertising because it is the largest source of such advertising.

In addition to looking at the number of ads, the study analyzed spending and found that of the $4.9 billion spent to advertise alcohol on television from 2001 to 2005, just 2% (or $104 million) was spent to air 41,333 "responsibility" advertisements.

The CAMY report showed that from 2001 to 2005, underage youth were 239 times more likely to see an advertisement selling alcohol than one of the industry's "responsibility" advertisements, designed to educate about the dangers of underage drinking. Additionally, during that same period underage youth were 32 times more likely to see an advertisement selling alcohol than a "responsibility" advertisement about drinking-and-driving and drinking safety.

"The primary messages kids get about alcohol on television are from alcohol product ads that not surprisingly promote their use and enjoyment," said David Jernigan, CAMY executive director. "To look just to the industry for messages on responsibility is clearly not smart public policy."

   The CAMY analysis also found that:   -- In 2001, youth ages 12 to 20 who saw alcohol advertising on television      viewed an average of 217 alcohol product advertisements and 11      "responsibility" advertisements on television. By 2005, they saw an      average of 309 alcohol product advertisements and 21 "responsibility"      advertisements.   -- Only 8 of 109 alcohol companies that bought television advertising time      ran "responsibility" ads on television from 2001 to 2005 (and 6 of 56      in 2005). All the other companies ran product advertisements only.   -- More alcohol brands aired "responsibility" advertisements in 2005 than      in any prior year. Of the 174 brands that placed product advertising on      television in 2005 at a total cost of $1 billion, 19 brands sponsored      "responsibility" advertisements on television at a total cost of $28      million.   -- "Responsibility" advertising spending varied widely among companies who      ran such ads. Of the 8 companies that ran "responsibility" ads, Diageo      plc invested the most in these advertisements over the 2001-2005      period, both in terms of dollars spent (nearly $66 million) and      percentage of advertising dollars (18% over the five-year period). Over      the same period, Anheuser-Busch Companies spent the second largest      dollar amount (almost $20 million) on "responsibility" ads.  This      constituted about 1% of A-B's television advertising budget for the      period.   

Alcohol is the drug most widely used by America's young people ages 12 to 20, and underage drinking is responsible for 5,000 deaths per year in this age group, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

In 2006, the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) was signed into law and authorized $1 million for a national media campaign on underage drinking. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to report annually to Congress on underage drinking, including the rate of exposure of youth to advertising and other media messages encouraging and discouraging alcohol use. The STOP Act, however, is only authorizing legislation, and Congress is considering this year whether it will fund these activities.

"Our findings clearly show that the alcohol industry's efforts to fight underage drinking through television advertising are never going to match its product advertising," said Jernigan. "We need a substantial national commitment if we expect our children to get a balanced message from television."

About the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University monitors the marketing practices of the alcohol industry to focus attention and action on industry practices that jeopardize the health and safety of America's youth. The Center is supported by grants from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. More information on the Center and a full text of this report can be found at http://www.camy.org/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth

CONTACT: Joseph Schmidt of Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth,
+1-202-687-0884, SchmidtJoe@aol.com

Web site: http://www.camy.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: B-Roll With Ads Available at http://www.brightlinemedia.com/camybroll.zip

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