Critical social marketing - The impact of alcohol marketing on youth drinking: Qualitative findings

Abstract

This paper presents findings from qualitative research, in the form of 1-1 interviews with marketing practitioners and focus groups with young people, as part of a study examining the cumulative impact of alcohol marketing communications on youth drinking. The research demonstrates the utility of taking a critical marketing approach when examining the impact of alcohol marketing. The findings indicate that marketers acknowledge the use of tactics to target young people and are cognisant of growing concern at alcohol issues, including control of alcohol marketing. The sophisticated level of awareness that young people (aged 13-15) have of alcohol, and alcohol products, was apparent from the eight focus groups conducted. Many respondents reported a high level of awareness of, and involvement in, alcohol marketing across several channels. Much marketing activity featured content that appealed to young people and appeared to influence their well-developed brand attitudes. The implications of these findings for research, regulation and policy around alcohol marketing are also examined, with it clear that the current regulatory framework fails to adequately protect young people. The contribution that studies such as this make to the wider critical marketing paradigm, and also to social marketing, is also discussed.