About Us
Mission
The Association to Reduce Alcohol Promotion in Ontario (ARAPO) is a provincial network made up of members who share the goal of promoting public health and safety by reducing the impact of alcohol advertising, promotion and sponsorship through education, policy and community action.
Philosophy
ARAPO is committed to raising awareness and taking action on decreasing the harm associated with alcohol use. ARPAO adopts a health promotion approach to alcohol use that centers on the belief that a reduction in alcohol advertising and promotion will enable people to make informed choices about drinking. ARAPO supports the alcohol advertising regulatory laws and guidelines and encourages alcohol manufacturers, advertisers and broadcasters to comply with the law.
Alcohol Advertising: The Issue
Alcohol Advertising is all around use including TV and radio commercials, billboards, ads in magazines and newspapers, sponsorship of music, sports and other events, brand names on clothes, internet web sites and much more.
Many people are concerned that alcohol advertising and promotion poses a public health risk.
Alcohol advertising does not show the potential negative consequences associated with alcohol use, for example car and other vehicle crashes, injuries, drownings or violence.
Alcohol Advertising: The Impact
Research suggests that alcohol advertising may influence choices, expectations and attitudes of young people. Different advertising techniques are used to catch the attention of the viewer.
Some techniques can be particularly appealing to youth, including:
- Popular music;
- Humour;
- Physically attractive characters;
- Animal-like characters (e.g. associated with youth-oriented celebrations such as Halloween)
See Sample Alcohol Promotion Gallery for sample ads.
Alcohol Advertising: Public Opinion
In a recent public opinion poll on alcohol, the majority of Ontarians agreed that wine ads and beer ads should not be permitted on television. Also, approximately 70% of Ontarians support the use of warning labels on alcohol beverages (Giesbrecht et al., 2005).
Alcohol Advertising: Take Action
A lot can be done to reduce the effect alcohol promotion has on public health and safety.
- Education
Professionals and community members in the past have taken action through educating their community through various workshops and events. ARAPO supports education efforts through offering:
- Complaining
The key to registering a complaint is to do it effectively. Some organizations have specific forms or processes one must follow. All appreciate a well-crafted, well-argued letter.
ARAPO hosts the Take Action on Alcohol Promotion section, to facilitate making your concerns heard. The steps are easy to follow and it includes sample letters, helpful information, and letter writing tips.
For more information, please contact:
Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec nous.
Jason LeMar
Coordinator, Alcohol Education Projects
c/o Ontario Public Health Association
700 Lawrence Avenue West
Suite 310
Toronto, Ontario
M6A 3B4
Telephone: (416) 367-3313 x264
Email: arapo@opha.on.ca
ARAPO gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Health Promotion for its programming.
ARAPO is a project of the Ontario Public Health Association.
ARAPO is the host of APN's Alcohol Advertising Information Pack.