Alcohol Advertising

Issue

Critics often cite advertising for alcoholic beverage products on television and radio and in print as a leading cause of underage drinking and demand that such advertisements be further regulated by Congress or banned outright.

AAF Position 

The AAF maintains a proactive approach to combating underage drinking while working to protect the rights of advertisers. Companies have a constitutional right to free speech, including truthful advertising of legal products to appropriate audiences. We support self-regulatory codes and programs developed by the industries, including restricting ads only to those shows where a minimum of 70 percent of the audience is expected to be of legal drinking age. Additionally, we applaud responsible consumption programs sponsored by the Beer Institute and Century Council, as well as many public service ads and other programs sponsored by individual companies over many decades. The alcohol industry has likely spent more time, effort and advertising dollars on public service campaigns than any other industry. We believe this work demonstrates the serious intent of the industries to discourage underage drinking.

Opposition

Some interest groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and the Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY), have produced studies that purport to show a relationship between alcohol advertisements and underage drinking. They contend that if advertising for a product is reduced, so too will the demand for the product. We believe the studies are flawed. Experience in other countries shows that reducing or banning advertising will not reduce rates of consumption. Others, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), seek federal support to find alcohol counter-advertising.

Last Updated: September 2008