Super
Bowl Sunday is this weekend, and for television viewers, the best part, next to
the game itself, are the television ads created specifically for the Super Bowl
audience. Super Bowl advertising reaches
all ages—from adults to teens to young children, and it would seem that
Budweiser is well aware of this fact. In
2008, their Super Bowl ad entitled Budweiser Clydesdale Team closely resembled scenes
from 101 Dalmatians. This year, as part of its Super Bowl 2013
promotion, Budweiser is asking fans via twitter to name a Clydesdale foal
born 2 weeks ago. The Baby Clydesdale will star in the Budweiser Clydesdale
Super Bowl 2013 advertisement to be aired during the game on February 3rd.
So what’s the
problem? It’s not like watching a couple
of commercials with cute animal actors is going to hurt anyone. Alcohol is a legal product and marketers are
just trying to sell their brands. After
all, some would argue that sports without beer would be like movies without
popcorn.
The problem
is that alcohol advertising and sponsorship shape social norms and perceptions
about alcohol. A study looking at the
impact of alcohol advertising and media exposure on adolescent alcohol use
concluded that alcohol advertising and promotion increases the likelihood that
adolescents will start to use alcohol, and to drink more if they are already
using alcohol.[1]
According to
the World Health Organization, ‘in markets where alcohol is more widely
advertised young people are more likely to continue to increase their drinking
as they move into their mid-twenties, whereas drinking declines at an earlier
age among those who are less exposed". [2]
In addition
to youth exposure to alcohol advertising, alcohol sponsorship of sporting
events such as the Super Bowl, perpetuates a drinking culture among sports
fans. In a 2011 report
of a U.S. study of football and baseball fans published in Alcoholism:
Clinical & Experimental Research, upon leaving the stadium 32% of fans had
been drinking and 8% of fans had blood alcohol levels of 0.08% or greater.
Beer brands past and present exclusive sponsorship deals:
- Labatt – Hockey Night in Canada
- Molson Canadian – NHL
- Bud Light – NFL
- Anheuser-Busch – Super Bowl
- Budweiser – World Cup / FIFA
- Heineken – 2012 Summer Olympics
- Molson – 2010 Winter Olympics
[1] Anderson P, de Bruijn A, Angus K,
Gordon R, Hastings G. Impact of Alcohol Advertising and Media Exposure on
Adolescent Alcohol Use: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies. Alcohol & Alcoholism. 2009; 1-15.
[2]
World
Health Organisation (2010) Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of
Alcohol. Geneva, World Health Organisation. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599931_eng.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment