Continuing Education Alcohol Advertisements in Youth-oriented Magazines: Persuasive Themes and Responsibility Messages Susan C. Hill, Steve R. Thomsen, Randy M. Page, and Nikki Parrott ABSTRACT Every year in the United States, health and social problems result from adolescents’ use and abuse of alcohol. Alco- hol use is associated with high-risk health behaviors and is a leading cause of death among adolescents. Research indicates that alcohol advertising influences drinking intentions for children and adolescents. Using content analy- sis of 486 advertisements, the focus of this study was to analyze persuasive themes and responsibility messages in alcohol advertising from a popular youth-oriented magazine over a three-year period. Findings indicate that prod- uct quality, humor, sex appeal, romance/relationships, and hanging out/partying were the most frequently used persuasive themes. Nearly 75% of advertisements included a responsibility message, but less than 1% included statements warning against underage drinking or encouraging the use of a designated driver. Chi-square analysis indicated a relationship between persuasive themes and the presence of responsibility messages. Given the suscepti- bility of youth to the emotional appeals of advertising, health education implementing media literacy and advocacy strategies can inform adolescents of the persuasive techniques and mixed messages used in advertising, and help develop skills to decrease their susceptibility to them. INTRODUCTION adolescents, which are unintentional inju- actors or models, all of which increase their The use and abuse of alcohol by teenag- ries (including motor vehicle crashes and appeal to under-age audiences.6, 10-14 ers creates serious health and social prob- drowning), suicides, and homicides. Ado- While the alcohol industry may argue lems in the United States each year. In 2003, lescent drinking also is associated with that its advertisements are intended only to 44.9% of 9th through 12th grade students violent gang activities, poor school perfor- strengthen brand loyalty or encourage reported consuming an alcoholic beverage mance, intimate partner violence, risky brand switching among adult drinkers, the in the past 30 days, and it is estimated that sexual behaviors, sexually transmitted dis- one in five 8th graders have done the same.1,2 eases, sexual assault, and acquaintance or Susan C. Hill, PhD, is assistant professor, De- In fact, adolescent drinkers are believed to date rape.4,5 partment of Health Science, Brigham Young account for nearly 20% of total alcohol con- A growing body of research suggests that University, 221A RB, Provo, UT 84602; E-mail: sumption in the United States.3 When they alcohol advertising plays a major role in the [email protected]. Steve R. Thomsen, PhD, is drink, teenagers also are highly likely to development of normative beliefs, positive with the Department of Communications, engage in episodic heavy and binge drink- outcome expectancies, and drinking inten- Brigham Young University, F-337 HFAC, ing.2 Results from the 2003 Youth Risk Be- tions for both children and adolescents.6-9 Provo, UT 84602. Randy M. Page, PhD, is with havior Survey (YRBS) indicate 28.3% of stu- This is particularly true for those with lim- the Department of Health Science, Brigham dents in grades 9–12 reported binge drinking ited personal experience with alcohol. One Young University, 110 FOB, Provo, UT at least once during the past 30 days.1 concern is the fact that alcohol advertise- 84602. Nikki Parrott is a community health Alcohol use is a principal risk factor in ments often use tactics that include humor, graduate, Department of Health Science, the three leading causes of death among youth-oriented themes, and young adult Brigham Young University. 258 American Journal of Health Education — Sept/Oct 2005, Volume 36, No. 5 Susan C. Hill, Steve R. Thomsen, Randy M. Page, and Nikki Parrott messages also may be affecting children between the ages of 12 and 20.16 Garfield and ments are likely to be representative of and teenagers. Several studies have found colleagues corroborate these findings, not- advertisements appearing in other general that children and adolescents who are ex- ing the 9,148 alcohol advertisements that entertainment and music magazines. posed to greater amounts of alcohol adver- appeared in 35 major publications between tising are more likely to use, or intend to 1997 and 2001 may have reached a poten- METHODS use, such products.7, 9, 15 tial audience of 7.1 million adolescents.15 Sample The alcohol industry routinely connects In response to growing pressure from Our sample consisted of all alcohol ad- with large numbers of underage readers health advocates, some brewers now volun- vertisements appearing in all 48 issues of through magazine advertising.16,17 Snyder tarily include caution, responsibility, or mod- Rolling Stone magazine published from and colleagues, for example, analyzed ad- eration statements in their advertisements. January 2000 through December 2002. The vertising expenditures for 1997 and found Currently, brewers are required under the selection of Rolling Stone magazine was that 22% of all alcohol advertising dollars 1988 Federal Beverage Label Act to include based on its inclusion as a “youth-oriented” were spent on magazine advertisements, health warning statements only on alcohol publication in the 2002 CAMY report, and primarily promoting distilled spirits. They beverage containers and packaging. Attempts the availability of complete volumes of the reported that distilled beverage producers to mandate warning messages in alcohol targeted years chosen for analysis. As pre- allocated nearly 89% of their advertising advertising, similar to what is required for viously noted, of the 24 magazines classi- budgets to national magazines and that the tobacco advertisements have not been suc- fied as “youth-oriented,” CAMY identified heaviest advertising occurred during the cessful.18 Slater and colleagues pointed out Rolling Stone as having one of the highest December holiday season.17 that warning or responsibility messages in percentages of readers between the ages of According to the Center on Alcohol print advertisements are often separated 12 and 20. Therefore, it was determined that Marketing and Youth (CAMY), nearly one- from other content in such a way that they the advertisements appearing in Rolling half of all alcohol-related magazine adver- can be easily overlooked or even ignored.18 tising in 2001, based on total expenditures, While numerous studies have examined Stone would most likely be representative was in 24 publications classified as “youth- television advertisements for alcohol, very of the types of alcohol advertisements ap- oriented.” A youth-oriented classification few have analyzed magazine advertisements. pearing in entertainment and music maga- describes magazines whose editorial profile A search of the literature revealed just three zines widely read by adolescents. indicates their primary intended audience major studies, where the content of maga- Coding is adult readers over the age of 21, and ex- zine alcohol advertisements were ana- Coding was conducted by members of cludes publications edited specifically for lyzed.15,19,20 Given the concerns expressed in the research team. Each advertisement for the youth or teen market. CAMY classified the recent reports published by the CAMY, an alcohol product, including responsibil- a magazine as youth-oriented if its compo- we thought it would be beneficial to re-ex- ity and corporate identity advertisements, sition of readers between the ages of 12 and amine the content of alcohol advertise- were treated as the unit of analysis. Specific 20 was greater than 15.8%, the actual pro- ments in magazines. coding units included type of alcohol prod- portion of this age group in the U.S. popu- The purpose of this study was 1) to ana- uct, alcohol brand, implied consumption, lation.16 These included widely read titles lyze persuasive themes that might make al- persuasive theme, inclusion of a responsi- in music and entertainment (e.g., Vibe, Spin, cohol advertisements attractive to underage bility message, location of the responsibil- Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly), sports adolescent readers, and 2) examine the fre- ity message within the advertisement, size (e.g., Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, quency, content, and location of responsi- of type used for the responsibility message, Car and Driver), men’s lifestyle (e.g., bility messages within the advertisements. and the inclusion of a qualifier/disclaimer Maxim), and women’s fashion (Allure, The content of alcoholic beverage advertise- within the responsibility message. Glamour, In Style, Essence). According to ments appearing in 48 issues of Rolling Alcohol product type. Coding identified CAMY, in 2001, 72 brands of alcohol placed Stone magazine from January 2000 through the alcohol type based on four categories: more than 50% of their advertising dollars December 2002 were examined. Rolling 1) beer or malt liquor, 2) wine, champagne, in youth-oriented magazines. Twenty-five Stone, a popular entertainment and music or wine coolers, 3) distilled spirits, liquor, of these brands placed 100% of the adver- industry magazine, has been classified by or pre-mixed cocktails, and 4) alco-pops, tising in youth-oriented magazines. The the CAMY as a “youth-oriented” publication also known as flavored alcoholic beverages largest expenditures were in Sports Illus- and has been identified as having a substan- (FABs). These are sweet, fruit-flavored, trated, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment tial number of teenage readers.16 In addition, malt-based drinks, such as Mike’s Hard Weekly. Nearly 35% of Rolling Stone’s read- Rolling Stone is the most widely recognized Lemonade, Rick’s Spiked Lemonade, or Doc ers, and about 25% of those who read Sports title for this genre and tends to have a gen- Otis’ Hard Lemonade, and have approxi- Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly, are eral or broad market appeal so the advertise- mately 5% alcohol per volume. American Journal of Health Education — Sept/Oct 2005, Volume 36, No. 5 259 Susan C. Hill, Steve R.