From a sample of 13 national magazines, each with the top circulation of its type, 454 alcohol advertisements were analyzed. Most prominent were ads with indirect appeals, associating the beverage with a desired outcome state—frequently a lifestyle. In order of frequency, these themes featured wealth-prestige-success, social approval, relaxation-leisure, hedonistic pleasure, exotic associations, individualistic behavior, and sex. The relationship between these values and the beverage was typically absent. Other appeals—direct, covert, and history-tradition-heritage—were also found. The ads are basically unrealistic and rest heavily on fantasy. A conceptual scheme for understanding the phenomena is presented, and several questions are posed for future policy considerations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AckoffR. L.EmshoffJ. R.1975“Advertising Research at Anheuser-Busch, Inc.”Sloan Management Review, 16: 1–15.
BainJoe S.1959Industrial Organization. New York: Wiley.
4.
BerelsonB.1952Content Analysis in Communication Research. Glencoe: Free Press.
5.
BerryR. E.Jr.BolandJ. P.1977The Economic Cost of Alcohol Abuse. New York: Free Press.
6.
BogartL.1967Strategy in Advertising. New York: Harcourt, Brace, World.
7.
BreedW.De FoeJ. R.1978“Characteristics of Alcoholics and Alcohol Advertisements.”Memo.
8.
BruunK.1976Alcohol Control Policies in Public Health Perspective. Helsinki: Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies.
9.
CahalanD.CisinI.CrossleyH.1969American Drinking Practices. New Brunswick: Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies.
10.
ClinebellH.Jr.1968Understanding and Counselling the Alcoholic. Boston: Abingdon Press. Commission of Inquiry into Non-Medical Use of Drugs.
11.
ClinebellH.Jr.1973Final Report. Ottowa: Information Canada.
12.
De FoeJ. R.BreedW.1979“The Problem of Alcohol Advertisements in College Newspapers.”Journal of the American College Health Association, 27: 195–199.
13.
de LintJ.SchmidtW.1968“The Distribution of Alcohol Consumption in Ontario.”Quarterly Journal of Studies in Alcohol, 29: 968–973.
14.
DichterE.1964Handbook of Consumer Motivations. New York: McGraw-Hill.
15.
EdwardsL.1978“John Murphy of Miller's is Adman of the Year.”Advertising Age, 49:1, 86, 89.
16.
HarrisL. and Associates 1974“Public Awareness of NIAAA Advertising Campaign.” New York.
17.
HymanM. H.1979“The Ledermann Curve.”Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 40: 339–347.
18.
JacobyJ.OlsonJ.HaddockR.1971“Price, Brand Name, and Product Composition Characteristics of Perceived Quality.”Journal of Applied Psychology, 55: 570–579.
19.
KatzperM.RybackR.HertzmanM.1978“Alcohol Beverage Advertisement and Consumption.”Journal of Drug Issues8: 339–352.
KoponenA.1960“Personality Characteristics of Purchasers.”Journal of Advertising Research, 1: 6–12.
23.
LasswellD.1948“The Structure and Function of Communication in Society.” In BrysonL. (ed.), The Communication of Ideas. New York: Harper.
24.
ParkerD. A.HarmanM. S.1978“The Distribution of Consumption Model of Prevention of Alcohol Problems.”Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 39: 377–399.
25.
PittmanD. J.LambertM. D.1978Alcohol, Alcoholism and Advertising. St. Louis.
26.
RoomR.1970“Concentration of Consumption.”The Drinking and Drug Practices Surveyor, No. 2, p. 1.
27.
SchmidtW.PophamR. E.1978“The Single Distribution Theory of Alcohol Consumption.”Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 39: 400–419.
28.
SkogO. J.1973“Less Alcohol—Fewer Alcoholics?”Drinking and Drug Practices Surveyor, No. 7, pp. 7–14.
29.
Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, U.S. Senate1976“Media Images of Alcohol.”U.S. Government Printing Office.
30.
SulkunenP.1976“Drinking Patterns and the Level of Alcohol Consumption.” In GibbinsR. J., Research Advances in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Problems. New York: Wiley.
31.
SymsJ. F.1977“The Manitoba Liquor Control Commission.”Canadian Foundation of Alcohol and Drug Dependencies. Winnipeg.
32.
WoodsideA.1972“A Shopping List Experiment of Beer Brand Images.”Journal of Applied Psychology, 56: 512–513.
33.
WellsW. D.1975“Psychographics: A Critique Review.”Journal of Marketing Research, 12: 196–213.
34.
WhiteheadP. C.1972“Toward a New Programmatic Approach of Alcoholism: A Reconciliation of the Socio-Cultural and Distribution of Consumption Approaches.” Manuscript. University of Western Ontario.
