Alcohol Marketing Receptivity, Marketing‐Specific Cognitions, and Underage Binge Drinking

Abstract

Background Exposure to alcohol marketing is prevalent and is associated with both initiation and progression of alcohol use in underage youth. The mechanism of influence is not well understood, however. This study tests a model that proposes alcohol-specific cognitions as mediators of the relation between alcohol marketing and problematic drinking among experimental underage drinkers. Methods This paper describes a cross-sectional analysis of 1734 U.S. 15–20 year old underage drinkers, recruited for a national study of media and substance use. Subjects were queried about a number of alcohol marketing variables including television time, internet time, favorite alcohol ad, ownership of alcohol branded merchandise (ABM), and exposure to alcohol brands in movies. The relation between these exposures and current (30 day) binge drinking was assessed, as were proposed mediators of this relation, including marketing-specific cognitions (drinker identity and favorite brand to drink), favorable alcohol expectancies and alcohol norms. Paths were tested in a structural equation model that controlled for socio-demographics, personality and peer drinking. Results Almost one-third of this sample of ever drinkers had engaged in 30 day binge drinking. Correlations among mediators were all statistically significant (range 0.16 – 0.47) and all were significantly associated with binge drinking. Statistically significant mediation was found for the association between ABM ownership and binge drinking through both drinker identity and having a favorite brand, which also mediated the path between movie brand exposure and binge drinking. Peer drinking and sensation seeking were associated with binge drinking in paths through all mediators. Conclusions Associations between alcohol marketing and binge drinking were mediated through marketing-specific cognitions that assess drinker identity and brand allegiance, cognitions that marketers aim to cultivate in the consumer.

Amount of Televised Alcohol Advertising Exposure and the Quantity of Alcohol Consumed by Youth

“…This finding is consistent with the Heuristic Marketing Receptivity Model, which posits that marketing-specific cognitions and attitudes in four domains mediate the association between alcohol advertising and consumption: alcohol expectancies, perceptions of alcohol norms, identifying one-self as a drinker, and brand loyalty (McClure et al, 2013). This result might also be understood as a "mere exposure" effect, by which consumers develop a preference for certain products simply because of their greater familiarity, and is an effect that can occur outside conscious awareness (Bornstein, 1989;Zajonc, 2001).…”

Razones para cambiar el consumo de alcohol en universitarios

“…Este resultado es interesante, ya que permite pensar que son los efectos inmediatos del consumo de alcohol (sabor/apariencia poco atractivos) los que en primer lugar podrían llevar a los jóvenes a dejar de consumirlo. Considerando que estudios sobre el marketing de bebidas con alcohol reconocen que las cogniciones positivas en torno a las bebidas alcohólicas se relacionan con el consumo excesivo episódico en jóvenes (McClure, Stoolmiller, Tanski, Engels, & Sargent, 2013) podría pensarse el efecto opuesto. Es decir, las cogniciones negativas que conllevan disgusto podrían derivar en intervenciones para reducir el consumo, en particular el excesivo episódico, en jóvenes.…”

Alcohol-Branded Merchandise Ownership and Drinking

“…However, they did not draw specific conclusions about the effects of ABM, an important distinction given that several studies have identified that the association between drinking and ABM ownership is stronger than that for other marketing variables. [22][23][24][25] Thus, this review sought to explore the current literature on child and adolescent ownership of ABM and the effects of ABM ownership.…”

“…In a cross-sectional survey 25 of 1734 ever-drinkers aged 15 to 20 years (remaining participants from an earlier longitudinal study 63 supplemented by a sample of AfricanAmerican youth), one-third (33%) reported owning ABM and ownership had both a direct association with binge drinking and indirect associations (mediated by drinker identity and having a favorite alcohol brand). The article did not report on drinking initiation or recent drinking.…”

“…[57][58][59][60][61][62] Three controlled for demographic characteristics (age/ year level, gender, race/ethnicity), individual characteristics (eg, school grades, personality factors), and social influences (eg, peer drinking, parental drinking, parenting style). 21,24,25 Longitudinal Studies All 4 of the longitudinal studies were conducted in the United States. ABM was the sole exposure focus in 1 article, 63 1 of 2 components of alcohol marketing awareness or receptivity in 2 articles, 20, 23 and 1 of several alcohol marketing exposures in 1 article.…”