Advertisement is one of the methods of creating brand awareness and brand positioning. This stands true for the alcoholic beverage industry too. Alcoholic beverage companies spend $1-$2 billion each year in advertisements through print and broadcast media.
Alcoholic advertisement is the promotion of alcoholic beverages. It, along with tobacco advertising, is one of the most regulated forms of marketing. It faces a lot of criticism for misleading the harmful effect of alcohol consumption like the risk of cancer. In most of the countries, it is either banned or advertised with a statutory warning.
What is Being Advertised in Alcohol Advertisement?
Drinking branded alcohol brings you into a company of exciting and great people. You end up your day having a great time.
It makes you more manly and helps you attract the opposite sex. It drives you to live more in fantasy than reality.
Nothing is impossible for you if you drink alcohol. You become more attractive, manly, and easily get friends and acceptance among them. You get the inspiration of hardworking and become successful.
Drinking alcohol brings happiness, achievement, and prosperity in your life. You become a role model for youths.
Medium of Advertising
Television – Television proves to be the most effective medium to reach out to a large audience. It gives the best ROI, brings more visibility, reduces the cost of acquisitions, and the number of viewers is higher than the other media.
Magazines – Magazines present high-quality images that allow the best representation of the products. Magazine contents are more trusted among readers as they pick up the magazines of their choice.
Radio – Radio can market products to both local and national levels. The cost of advertising is lower than the other mediums and the chances of product positioning to the large audience are higher.
Social Media – Social media is the most cost-effective and fast reaching audience platform. The number of likes, shares, and comments on different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. decide the visibility of brand among consumers.
Movies – Movies play an eminent role in targeting the right audience. A company can advertise the products within the cinema and outside the cinema.
Regulations of Alcohol Advertisement
Advertising alcohol has been banned in India since 2008 as per the Cable Television Network Amendment Bill. Private companies permit alcohol companies to advertise under the surrogate advertising category.
Showing alcohol and tobacco consumptions in movies are allowed with a statutory warning.
It is mandatory to mention cancer warning labels and consume alcohol responsibly on packets. The Government bans alcohol advertisements in public places like schools, parks, and other social gatherings spots.
WHO directs regulations against sponsorship activities promoting alcohol beverages, and promotional activities targeting teens and young people.
Immediate Impressions on Youths
Alcohol Consumption – Alcohol advertising mainly influences young people. The young people watching alcohol ads start consuming alcohol and most of them become habitual to it. But for the moderate and high drinkers, alcohol ads are valueless. Over consumptions of alcohol may rope to alcohol abuse.
Binge Drinking – Teenagers have a very strong desire to achieve adulthood soon and behave like adults. To achieve this status, they knock up all the possible approaches. Alcohol ads lead them to jump into heavy drinking practices and mostly become unstoppable. Underage drinking, despite bans and other regulations, is a great concern for parents, society, and government.
Symbol of Party and Get-Together – Celebration means alcohol. This is very common with youths whether it is a social gathering, small party, festivals, marriages, etc. alcohol consumption has become a status symbol for celebrations.
Better Lifestyle and Status Quo – ‘Hey, have you tried this brand? We only consume such and such brands or alcohols’. This is certainly an example of alcohol ads captivating young minds and setting up a periphery of the status. People having a common psyche of consuming bigger brands lead to a better lifestyle and acceptance in the group. Consuming wine is considered a status symbol across the globe.
Conclusion
Alcohol consumption can never be beneficial for health unless it is under a doctor’s supervision. From underage drinking habits to the status quo psyche separate you from reality and blocks your cognitive ability and productivity. No one can deny the harmful effect of alcohol consumption like cancer, lung infection, alcohol abusive. It does not only affect people’s psychology but personality. Overall, alcohol advertisement proves beneficial for the company but not the human and their behaviour. Take a wise decision for what you consume.
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