What is Alcohol Advertising?
"Advertising is a very powerful tool which comes in many different shapes and forms - radio, TV, posters, magazines, newspapers, billboards, Internet, sponsorship of music concerts, sporting events, and much more. Alcohol advertising usually presents a fun, positive and problem-free image of drinking. Youth especially are bombarded with alcohol brand images in the music they listen to, the movies and television shows they watch, the websites they visit, and the magazines they read. "
Is Alcohol Advertising Influential?
"This high level of alcohol advertising exposure, especially among youth, has been linked with increased consumption. International researchers from the World Health Organization claim that alcohol advertising “has been found to promote and reinforce perceptions of drinking as positive, glamorous and relatively risk-free … exposure to repeated high levels of alcohol promotion inculcates pro-drinking attitudes and increases the likelihood of heavier drinking” (Babor et al., 2003). These researchers verify two ideas. One that the cumulative influence of alcohol advertising, shapes young people’s perceptions of alcohol and drinking norms. Secondly, that alcohol advertising predisposes minors to drinking well before the legal age of purchase."
Common Techniques for Persuasion in Advertising
Samples of Alcohol Advertisements across media
Visit Take Action Against Alcohol Promotion for information on how to submit a complaint letter about an alcohol advertisement or sponsorship you've seen in Ontario.