Abstract
Spending on non-traditional media such as point-of-purchase advertising and promotions continues to increase. Pro-alcohol messages are a concern since, alcohol advertising is positively associated with drinking and related problems. This is one of the first studies that assesses alcohol advertising and promotions at retail outlets. Within a census of alcohol outlets in 10 ethnically diverse urban California communities, alcohol advertising was found to be prevalent in stores and on the outside of restaurants and bars. Independently owned stores had the highest prevalence of advertisements. Alcohol and alcohol advertisements were commonly placed where youths were likely to see them. Models of color and cultural icons were frequently used to target advertisements to specific ethnic groups. Point-of-purchase advertising appears to be used to aggressively market alcohol and contribute to a pro-alcohol environment. Efforts to decrease and counteract this largely unregulated form of alcohol advertising seem warranted.
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