Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118078

Leslie B. Snyder, PhD, Dept. of Communication Sciences, University of Conncecticut, 1085, Storrs, CT 06269-1085, 860 486-4383, leslie.snyder@uconn.edu

Beer, wine, and liquor vary by distribution channels, tax laws, advertising and promotional strategies, advertising codes of ethics, consumption patterns, and physiological effects. Therefore, it may be important to consider alcohol advertising policies separately for different alcohol product categories. The current research examines the impact of advertisements for the different products on youth drinking using data from a large-scale national longitudinal study of 1873 youth age 15-26 year olds. Survey data over four time periods in 24 media markets in the U.S. was matched with data about the amount of television, radio, and outdoor advertising in their market. Using hierarchical linear modeling, the study found that drinking beer, liquor, and malternatives (a.k.a. alcopops, premixed drinks in small bottles) was predicted by cumulative exposure to product-specific ads and living in a market with more product-specific ads or ads for any type of alcoholic product. Liquor consumption was also predicted by short-term exposure to ads for any alcoholic product. Alcohol advertising did not have a significant impact on youth wine consumption, except under certain conditions. The results show which alcohol product categories promote youth drinking, and demonstrate the cumulative impact of exposure to alcohol advertising on youth. There are implications for advertising policies and youth alcohol interventions.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, a participant will be able to

• Describe the impact of exposure to beer, wine, & liquor advertising on youth in the U.S.
• Understand the implications of the differences for alcohol policies and interventions against youth drinking.

Keywords: Media, Alcohol Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.