302720
Alcohol brand sponsorship of events, organizations and causes in the United States, 2010-2013
Traditional advertising is no longer the only way that alcohol companies are getting their brand names introduced to the youth market. Corporate sponsorship is the fastest growing form of marketing and there has been insufficient research attention to the alcohol industry’s use of corporate sponsorship as a marketing tool. This research provides the first comprehensive, systematic investigation of the nature and extent of alcohol brand sponsorship. The study examined sponsorship of organizations and events in the U.S. by alcohol brands from 2010-2013. The top 75 brands of alcohol consumed by underage drinkers were identified based on a previously conducted national internet-based survey. We identified 945 sponsorships during the study period for the top 75 brands consumed by underage drinkers. The most popular youth brands were far more likely to engage in sponsorship and to have a higher number of sponsorships. The identified sponsorships overwhelmingly associated alcohol brands with integral aspects of American culture, including sports, music, the arts and entertainment, and drinking itself. The most popular brands among underage drinkers were much more likely to associate their brands with these aspects of American culture than brands that were not popular among underage drinkers.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related researchSocial and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe the first comprehensive, systematic investigation of the extent of alcohol brand sponsorship
Compare prevalence of youth consumption with sponsorships identified
Describe types of sponsorships identified and the association with top brands consumed by underage drinkers
Keyword(s): Alcohol Use, Marketing
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have provided training and technical assistance in the substance abuse prevention field for the past 10 years. My work has included performing research, writing original materials, and developing and providing trainings. Most recently I was involved in researching sponsorships of alcohol brands consumed by underage drinkers. I worked with a group of researchers to identify 945 different sponsorships, categorize sponsorships being employed, and determine the intensity of brand sponsorships by the popularity of brands.
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.