207751 Booze and butts: Alcohol imagery in young adult tobacco lifestyle advertising

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 4:30 PM

Pamela Ling, MD, MPH , Division of General Internal Medicine, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Daniel K. Cortese, PhD , Political and Justice Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, Governors State University, University Park, IL
M. Jane Lewis, DrPH , School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
  
Background: “Social smoking” is a common behavior among young adults, where tobacco use is often limited to social situations where alcohol is consumed. Tobacco companies use lifestyle advertising to associate tobacco with social activities that include alcohol consumption.

Objective: Describe the presence of alcohol imagery in tobacco industry produced lifestyle magazines and direct mail advertising, and the rationale for its inclusion.

Methods: Analysis of tobacco industry documents, tobacco industry produced lifestyle magazines, and direct mail advertisements.

Results: We analyzed 73 lifestyle magazines produced by tobacco companies (1558 articles, 437 tobacco advertisements, 695 non-tobacco advertisements). Images of alcohol appeared most frequently in articles (37%) and tobacco advertisements (27%) and least frequently in non-tobacco advertisements (8%). RJ Reynolds's Camel branded CML magazine most frequently featured alcohol in articles (58%) and tobacco advertisements (43%). Philip Morris's Marlboro branded Unlimited magazine most frequently featured alcohol in articles (47%) but not tobacco advertisements or non-tobacco advertisements. CML alcohol images were most frequently wine, mixed drinks and liquor, while Unlimited alcohol images were most frequently beer. These patterns of alcohol imagery were also found in direct mail advertisements.

Discussion: In magazines produced by tobacco companies, alcohol images were found more frequently in tobacco advertisements than other products, and even more frequently in magazine articles. The type of alcohol shown (beer, wine, mixed drinks) was consistent with the magazine's associated tobacco brand image. Images of alcohol in tobacco advertising and articles normalize dual use and pose a challenge for public health efforts.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe three ways alcohol imagery in tobacco advertising can benefit tobacco companies. 2. Compare the frequency and type of alcohol imagery featured in lifestyle magazines and direct mail advertisements for different tobacco brands 3. Discuss two implications of linked tobacco and alcohol advertising for public health efforts aimed at young adults

Keywords: Tobacco, Alcohol

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been on UCSF faculty since 2002, and have over 25 peer reviewed articles on tobacco marketing and young adult tobacco use. I have given several national and international presentations on these topics.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Alcohol and tobacco advertising aimed at youth: Effective policy solutions
See more of: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs