PENN STATE STUDY FINDS NO EVIDENCE THAT ALCOHOL ADS TARGET YOUTH
A Penn State study found no evidence that the alcohol beverage industry targets underage youth in its magazine ads, as suspected by critics who propose everything from a complete ban on alcohol advertising to stricter limits on ads.
"Results from analyzing magazine characteristics and readership demographics […] fail to support claims of targeting youth," said the study’s author Jon Nelson, professor emeritus of economics at Penn State.
Jon’s findings are published in the July issue of Contemporary Economic Policy. He reviewed alcohol ads in 28 magazines - producing a total of 3,675 alcohol ads - in 2001 thru 2003, analyzing them by demographics, magazine characteristics, content category, ect.
All of the sampled magazines accept alcohol ads. Their titles include: Better Homes and Gardens, Car and Driver, ESPN The Magazine, Glamour, People, Newsweek, Time, Popular Mechanics, Sports Illustrated, Spin, Shape, Self and Vogue.
"Beer advertisers favor magazines with more young adults, male readers and larger adult audiences, but not teens," said Nelson. "Spirits producers prefer magazines with more young adults, male readers and larger adult audiences but not teens; they also favor magazines with lower costs per advertisement."
He went on to say that "policymakers would be well advised to turn their attention to other aspects of youth drinking behaviors, rather than decisions made in the market for advertising space."
"Results from analyzing magazine characteristics and readership demographics […] fail to support claims of targeting youth," said the study’s author Jon Nelson, professor emeritus of economics at Penn State.
Jon’s findings are published in the July issue of Contemporary Economic Policy. He reviewed alcohol ads in 28 magazines - producing a total of 3,675 alcohol ads - in 2001 thru 2003, analyzing them by demographics, magazine characteristics, content category, ect.
All of the sampled magazines accept alcohol ads. Their titles include: Better Homes and Gardens, Car and Driver, ESPN The Magazine, Glamour, People, Newsweek, Time, Popular Mechanics, Sports Illustrated, Spin, Shape, Self and Vogue.
"Beer advertisers favor magazines with more young adults, male readers and larger adult audiences, but not teens," said Nelson. "Spirits producers prefer magazines with more young adults, male readers and larger adult audiences but not teens; they also favor magazines with lower costs per advertisement."
He went on to say that "policymakers would be well advised to turn their attention to other aspects of youth drinking behaviors, rather than decisions made in the market for advertising space."
posted at 1:12 PM
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