Do Beer Ads Make Kids Drink?

It's another interesting day in the world of marketing. I'm Chris Teague, and I welcome you to read today's post on a controversial issue facing marketers of beer and alcohol. Read on my friend and chime in with your comments...

The issue: A recent Advertising Age article informs me that the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth has recently claimed that youth drinking is still a problem and marketers need to tone the beer ads down. Despite contradicting evidence supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, of decreased drinking among teens, the Center still has beef with marketers.

Do beer ads really make kids drink? Would taking beer ads off the air waves really impact the drinking rate of America's youth? As a marketer, I understand both sides of the argument. I know that a beer company needs persuasive commercials to help it stay in business. However, I also know that the beer company needs to be responsible in the way it advertises. So, where do I stand on this issue?

I recommend you take a look at the tobacco industry for a moment. This industry has been forced to remove all commercials and advertising from their marketing mix. However, cigarette smoking has not drastically decreased, especially in Southern states. While you may argue the initial impact of cigarette advertising is to blame, my suggestion is to invest some time into actually understanding some of the root causes for drinking and comparing those causes to the impacts of beer ads. Maybe a legitimate claim can come from this kind of research.

We all have responsibilities to ensure the well-being of our kids. Advertising can be a problem, but it is not the main issue for drinking problems among our nation's youth. In fact, current research shows that drinking levels have decreased. Before throwing your rock, make sure you take some time to understand the core problems that create drinking: Depression, genetics, poverty levels, etc... When you figure out how to fix those issues, then come back with a stronger case to ban beer ads than what is presenty being presented.

Your friend,
Chris Teague