RESEARCH EVIDENCE PERTINENT TO NBC DECISION TO PERMIT
LIQUOR ADVERTISING ON NETWORK TELEVISION

In a national sample of 612 young adults aged 21-29, liquor drinking is associated with viewing of the limited liquor advertising shown on cable and local TV.  

• Heavier weekly consumption is reported by 21% of those paying higher attention vs. 10% paying low attention to TV ads. 
• Averaging across eight specific liquor brands, annual consumption is reported by 37% of those who pay higher attention to TV ads vs. 21% who pay low attention.
• In the past year, 44% of young adults paying higher attention to TV ads have tried a new brand of liquor (compared to 30% of respondents paying low attention).

In a national sample of 608 youth aged 15-20, intentions to drink liquor when older are  associated with TV liquor commercial viewing.

• Intention to consume two or more liquor drinks per week is reported by 38% of teenagers who pay higher attention to TV ads vs. 21% of those paying lower attention.
• Averaging across eight specific liquor brands, intended consumption is reported by 38% of those who pay higher attention to TV ads vs. 20% who pay low attention.  
• By a six-to-one margin, the 15-20 year olds believe that it’s riskier for teenagers to drink liquor than beer, and that teens are likelier to get drunk from liquor than beer. 

When a national sample of adults was asked about the potential impact if liquor becomes widely-advertised on TV, the typical adult estimates that more than half of all teenage viewers would be influenced to start drinking liquor.

Underage Targeting: Most teenagers and young adults feel that liquor advertisers want teens to view their TV ads, and a majority say TV advertisers are trying to influence teens to drink liquor. In a national poll, only one-fourth of all adults believe that liquor advertisers can be trusted to show appropriate content in TV ads.

Focus group discussions with middle school and high school students showed that these ad features  are appealing to youthful audiences: sexy, young-looking and “cool” characters, cute animals, humor, sports, upbeat music fast-paced action, and the portrayal of fun party scenes.

Regulating Ads: National polls of general adult samples show that a total ban on TV liquor ads is favored by a 49% to 40% margin and that there’s much wider opposition to liquor commercials than commercials for beer, condoms, or casino gambling.   If liquor advertising is to be aired on TV, large majorities favor requiring warnings in ads, delaying ads until late evening, restricting content that might appeal to young people, and balancing ads with more public service spots. 

These findings are drawn from five research studies conducted by Charles Atkin (Department of Communication, Michigan State University) and Esther Thorson (School of Journalism, University of Missouri).  The project was sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

GENERAL ADULT POLLS -- Phone surveys with representative national samples of N=963 adults (1999) and N=818 adults (1997).

YOUNG ADULT SURVEY -- Phone survey in 1999 with national sample of N=612 adults (ages 21-29). 

TEENAGE SURVEY -- Phone survey in 1999 with national sample of N=608 teens (ages 15-20). 

YOUTH FOCUS GROUPS -- Sessions with 24 groups in middle school, high school, and college (1998).
 

Click here to view action alert on broadcast liquor ads.

January 2002